Total Drama Rebirth of the Island
by AndrewNotCarranza
Summary: Total Drama is back with a brand new island, a brand new cast, and the same "great" host. Watch as 24 teenagers compete for a fabulous cash prize. Along the way they will make friendships, betray each other, and perhaps even fall in love. Who will be the one to win this classic reality show? Join along for the ride and find out. Generic Description I know but I'm new at this
1. Chapter 1

_A commercial for the new season of Total Drama_

Have you ever wanted to get famous quick and easy? Do you want the chance to win an enormous amount of money that you'll probably spend by the end of the first month? Do you have a face for television and the personality needed to create "entertainment?" If you answered yes to any of these questions then congratulations because there is a new season of Total Drama on the way and you could be a part of it. That's right you bored person watching television, you could be on Total Drama. The show known for its epic challenges, wonderful drama, and of course perfect host. To sign up merely go to our website, fill out an application and send your audition tape. Act fast because there are probably people far more interesting than you fighting for a spot.

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 **So I've been reading Total Drama stories for a few years and I've always loved SYOC stories. Its a shame not many get finished but its understandable working with characters you don't have much information about. Its very ambitious to do one of these for my first story, but I hope this will work out. Now then first a few rules for applying then the app itself.**

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1\. Please use the App I have set. It will make it easier on me to easily find any information I am looking for if I know where in the application to look for. If there's something extra you want to add that isn't in the App feel free to add it on at the end but otherwise please don't deviate from what I have set.

2\. Your OC can't be connected to previous Total Drama contestants. Perhaps in the future I might to an SYOC story for children of former competitors or siblings of former competitors, but for this story just your average teenager that has no connection to a previous Total Drama contestant.

3\. If you have an account PM would be preferred since not only is there more of a risk with accepting from reviews, but PM makes it easier for me to contact and provide feedback. If you are a guest then you may review your OC, but know that I am looking at account users first. Sorry if that is unfair to guests, but I want people who I accept to come back and read the story as well as communicate if I am doing something wrong or give any ideas.

4\. You can submit as many characters as you want, but know only 2 characters, from any given person will have a chance to be accepted.

5\. Please don't copy a canon character. Try to make a unique new character. If you want to submit a character you have submitted in the past rather than making a brand new character that is acceptable. Just know that I have read a lot of SYOC stories in the past so I know quite a few OCs that are frequently used.

Now the App itself. It will also be on my profile for a while if you want to copy and paste. I'm doing this so you can easily get access to it and not have to ask me to DM you the app. There will be 24 total contestants divided into even gender split. I will submit an OC of my own but I 100% guarantee you she will not win. Have fun and get creative. I want good people, bad people, silly people, ridiculous people, semi-OP people, malicious people, random people, introverted people, awkward people, obsessive people, aloof people, sporty people, nerdy people, snarky people, witty people, sarcastic people, honest people, Broadway people, talented people, weak people, hopeless people, romantic people, ditsy people, interesting people, and people people.

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Full Name:

Nickname (optional):

Stereotype (Get as creative as you can):

Age (15-18 preferred but open to more or less):

Gender (if transgender or gender fluid then put assigned gender first with identifying gender in parenthesis. For example Male(Female)):

Sexual Orientation:

Nationality:

Body Description:

Skin Tone:

Hair (Color and Style):

Eye (Color and shape):

Height:

Weight:

Other physical description (tattoos, scars, birthmarks, etc.):

Standard Outfit:

Sleeping Outfit:

Swimming Outfit:

Formal Outfit:

Other Accessories:

Personality (As detailed as possible):

Backstory/Biography (As detailed as possible):

Family:

Strengths (No more than 10 total):

Weaknesses (At least one for every strength):

Likes:

Dislikes:

Hobbies/Talents:

Typical Friend:

Typical Enemy:

Do you want to be in a relationship (If yes I can't guarantee but will try):

Overall Strength (1-5 with 5 being high):

Overall Intellect (1-5 with 5 being high):

Overall Level of Cooperation (1-5 with 5 being high):

Phobias (At least 1 no more than 5):

Goals/Wishes/Dreams:

Why you want to compete:

Audition Tape (These will be shown so make them as good as you possibly can):

Any other information you want to provide about your OC:


	2. Update 1

**Wow its only been 24 hours and I've already gotten so many applications. I could fill the entire roster right now if I wanted, however I won't simply because I don't think 24 hours is enough time to gather apps. Here are the ones that I knew right away I wanted to use. If the character you submitted is not here that doesn't mean they won't be in. I just want more time to consider it. Honestly if your character isn't going to make it I will send you a DM apologizing and explaining why they don't make the cut. I've already sent a few of them and people have been very understanding. Luckily so far nobody has gotten mad that I've rejected them. I don't know how long I'll be taking applications especially since I underestimated how many I'd get, but I think I'll know when the time is right. I have gotten a lot more boys than I have girls. By all means, keep the boys coming, but I would like some more girls as well. I've also gotten a lot of villains. I thought it would be difficult to find a villain, but I've gotten so many it's beginning to become hard to choose. I don't want the story to have too many villains, but I will try to choose as many as I feel comfortable with. Congrats to those in so far and those who I'm still considering don't worry. There is tough competition but that's just because there were so many great OCs submitted. Feel confident you made all made such great characters. Now then here is the first roster update.**

 **Boys**

1\. Maximilian Brooks- The Lucky Guy (Twpsyn)

2\. Clifford Andersen- The Mendacious Artiste (Jade's One of a Kind)

3\. Anthony Sterling- The Ambitious Inventor (Beastboycoolman15)

4\. Kahlin Mora- The Laid-Back Observer (Nikolai777)

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

 **Girls**

1\. Lucina "Lucy" Von Richter- The Cunning Future Lawyer (Me)

2\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines- The Small Pyromaniac (Aleister Bloodrive VII)

3\. Miriam Hakimi- The Fiery Dancer (Nikolai777)

4\. Anna-Jane "AJ" Rosenberg- The Socially-Awkward Writer/Journalist (xXKuroCat-Nanami)

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.


	3. Update 2 & Episode 1 Preview

**We have our next 8 contestants and our second roster update. Only room for another 4 of each gender and still so many great OCs plus those not yet sent in. This is shaping up to be a great story as I have so many ideas with those chosen so far. Males still outnumber females by a lot in what has been submitted so if you have a female send her in. Next chapter will not only be the last update, but I'll also be showing the audition tapes and providing my explanation toward why I chose the people that I did. Look forward to all of that. Some people have also asked me how long the wait will be for the first chapter. I'd say probably a few days, a week at most after I finish the roster. Now before we begin here's a small preview. I got into a bit of trouble for the last chapter since there was no content, so this minor preview will hopefully help me avoid that.**

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 _The Following is a Preview for Total Drama Rebrith of the Island_

"Welcome everyone to the newest season of Total Drama. You were each chosen due to your 'uniqueness' and now it's time to see who has what it takes to win." Chris said once the final contestant had arrived.

Most of the contestants looked either tired or irritated. They didn't know that they would have to wake up early to catch the boat to the Island.

"Chris if you don't mind me asking why did we have to come so early?" Tom asked curious as toward why their transportation was scheduled for such an early time. Chrie laughed at his question.

"You'd better get used to waking up early. Besides we needed to have enough time for our challenge today." Chris explained.

Hearing that there would be a challenge several contestants started to worry as they were unprepared for a challenge on the first day.

"A challenge already. I can't believe one of us is leaving before we can even fully unpack." Miriam said eager to get started.

"I didn't say there would be an elimination today. The challenge is just to separate you into teams. Now you'll recall that you were asked to pack formal clothing. Go ahead and get to know each other in the meantime, but this afternoon get ready for the first annual Total Drama Ball. There will be gourmet food, the last you'll have in a while, and plenty of music to dance to. I'll see you all there." Chris said. He then left to his private area leaving the contestants alone to form their first bonds and their first friendships.

Some of the contestants started walking away, but Aiden quickly got everyone's attention.

"Hey excuse me y'all. Sorry to interrupt but if we have a few hours before the shindig we should probably get to know each other. No idea who'll be on our team till the challenge might as well take Chris's advice and mingle. How about we let one of the lasses begin." Aiden said hoping to get to know his competition and potential allies.

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 **Boys**

1\. Maximilian Brooks- The Lucky Guy (Twpsyn)

2\. Clifford Andersen- The Mendacious Artiste (Jade's One of a Kind)

3\. Anthony Sterling- The Ambitious Inventor (Beastboycoolman15)

4\. Kahlin Mora- The Laid-Back Observer (Nikolai777)

5\. Gonzo Enrique-Núñez-García Ramírez-Vasquez-Rodriguez-Hernandez-Cortés Martínez-Roberto De La Cruz- The Crazy Spaniard (ThorBringsTheThunder)

6\. Johnathan Maxwell Thomas Cooper III- The Runt of the Litter (supersickdude)

7\. Tom Quinn Nguyen- The Scheming Writer (t20n00)

8\. Aiden Rose Hall- The Actor (dyingonmyknees)

9.

10.

11.

12.

 **Girls**

1\. Lucina "Lucy" Von Richter- The Cunning Future Lawyer (Me)

2\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines- The Small Pyromaniac (Aleister Bloodrive VII)

3\. Miriam Hakimi- The Fiery Dancer (Nikolai777)

4\. Anna-Jane "AJ" Rosenberg- The Socially-Awkward Writer/Journalist (xXKuroCat-Nanami)

5\. Nadine Navarro- The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl (Boostup7)

6\. Ciara Yates- The Perverted Musician (Gucci Mane LaFlare)

7\. Nicky Krane- The Shy Violinist (ninjedi)

8\. Sarah Blake- The Serious One (TheReaper565)

9.

10.

11.

12.


	4. Final Updade & OC Audition Tapes

**Heres the last update. This was impossibly difficult just because of the sheer number of OCs submitted. By the time I finished choosing the roster there were 40 applications sent in. 15 were for females and the other 25 for males. It was easy to pick the femals since I only needed to cut three, but for the males I had to turn down more than half. If I'm being honest the audition tapes were the biggest factor when it was difficult to decide near the end. I'm going to be using those as a guide to write for the beginning.** **I apologize again if your OC was not chosen but it was a tough call. Someone pointed out to be my roster is a bit redundant as I have 2 writers, 2 musicians, and now 2 artists. To that I say I do have a plan and believe me that they are not redundant. I said I wanted variety and that is still true. Not every artist is the same and not every writer is the same. They are different characters and serve different roles. Perhaps I could have chosen other males that had different stereotypes, but I just felt this worked better for me as a first time writer. If I ever do another of these I'll experiment a bit more with the stereotypes. Now here's the roster and all the audition tapes. Enjoy. Also let me know what characters you think your character will be friends with, who they'll be enemies with, and who you ship them with if you wanted a relationship. I already have ideas and plans of my own but I'm interested in the original creator's point of view. You can do that in review or DM whatever you prefer. Just to be clear the characters themselves are not seeing these audition tapes so any secrets revealed will stay a secret.**

* * *

 **Boys**

1\. Maximilian Brooks- The Lucky Guy (Twpsyn)

2\. Clifford Andersen- The Mendacious Artiste (Jade's One of a Kind)

3\. Anthony Sterling- The Ambitious Inventor (Beastboycoolman15)

4\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora- The Laid-Back Observer (Nikolai777)

5\. Gonzo Enrique-Núñez-García Ramírez-Vasquez-Rodriguez-Hernandez-Cortés Martínez-Roberto De La Cruz- The Crazy Spaniard (ThorBringsTheThunder)

6\. Johnathan Maxwell Thomas Cooper III- The Runt of the Litter (supersickdude)

7\. Tom Quinn Nguyen- The Scheming Writer (t20n00)

8\. Aiden Rose Hall- The Actor (dyingonmyknees)

9\. Kai Nohea- The Surfer Bro (AZW330)

10\. Brett Drake- The Powerhouse Man (Eternos137)

11\. Wallace Corona- The Crazy-Prepared (keyblademaster avenger)

12\. Dante Valverde- The Overprotective and Overbearing Older Brother (NostalgiaMaster1996)

 **Girls**

1\. Lucina "Lucy" Von Richter- The Cunning Future Lawyer (Me)

2\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines- The Small Pyromaniac (Aleister Bloodrive VII)

3\. Miriam Hakimi- The Fiery Dancer (Nikolai777)

4\. Anna-Jane "AJ" Rosenberg- The Socially-Awkward Writer/Journalist (xXKuroCat-Nanami)

5\. Nadine Navarro- The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl (Boostup7)

6\. Ciara Yates- The Perverted Musician (Gucci Mane LaFlare)

7\. Nicky Krane- The Shy Violinist (ninjedi)

8\. Sarah Blake- The Serious One (TheReaper565)

9\. Kyoko Hanabari- The All-Rounder Nerdy Artist (Eternal Nexus Warrior)

10\. Koh Lewandoski- The Undercover Cop (Mistress Mysterious)

11\. Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire- The Self Absorbed Heiress (JerrydaHorse)

12\. Zelda Ophelia Valverde- The Overachieving Perfectionist (NostalgiaMaster1996)

* * *

 **Audition Tapes**

 _Aiden Rose Hall_

The camera turned on upside down, with the camera far to close on the face of a bearded male teenager. "Is this dang tarnation on?" he mumbled. Messing with some buttons, he held the camera out, readjusting the focus to be on his upper torso. In the background, he appeared to be in a nicely decorated living room. The teenager wore a blue buttoned up shirt and jeans. "Howdy y'all!" He greeted, grinning. "The name's Aiden Rose Hall, and ah would be honored to be on yer show! I'm just a poor Southern fella from Texas who's in need of money to help out mah folks and siblings. Yer show never had a proper cowboy who has gone down and dirty in the fields, so ah thought ah would join. Ah know I'm not very handsome, and mah family don't think I'm too bright either, but ah promise that you've never had someone like me before!"

Instead of ending the video, Aiden flipped the camera, walked a few steps, and set it on a stand. "There. Much better," he said, his voice dropping the accent. He stepped backwards again. "So what you just saw there was a character I created. The truth is, I'm a full-blooded Yankee, not some white trash hick nobody." Aiden rolled his eyes. "To put it simply, I want to be an actor. That's been my goal for, like, ever. I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that I obtain it. Your show would be a great stage to act on and really show that I am ready for the big screen. On the show, I'll pretend to be a simple-minded good guy that no one would ever expect to be not-so-good. Who would expect that from a Southern gentleman? The money would be nice to win, but I just really want to use my acting skills to show the world that I'm a force to be reckoned with, especially as I take any curveball you throw at me. So, pick me. It will be good for the ratings that Total Drama is the show that showcased me, Aiden Rose Hall. And of course, it will be good the drama that will surely ensure if I'm chosen." Aiden finished with a wink before turning off the camera.

 _Anna-Jane "AJ" Rosenberg_

The camera turns on, facing towards a large bookcase filled with books. The only living thing in sight was an black and white little Ragdoll cat sleeping on one of the top shelves of the case. Soon, a young 17 year old girl with wavy pale blonde hair and large hazel eyes step into the frame. The young female smiled widely at the camera and give a nervous wave. "H-Hello, Mr. McLean and producers of Total Drama. I'm Anna-Jane Rosenberg, but please call me AJ." AJ introduced herself in her usual soft tone, keeping a soft smile on her face as she continues on. "And...I-I like to be on the new season of Total Drama Please!" She practically yelled the sentence out, nearly causing her cat to jump off the self in fear. "I'm sorry Mochi! I didn't mean to disturb your nap!" AJ cried out, petting her now annoyed cat softly before turning back to the camera nervously. Her already prominent rosy cheeks begin to gain a new deep shade. "Sorry about that...I'm not sure if you can tell, but I have a communication issue. Although It seems like I'm doing pretty well with discussing my reasons to why I'm interested on joining right now in camera...Trust me, I'm a complete disaster when I'm in front of a whole group of people I don't know..." AJ let a soft sigh as she continues on. "To the point where I can barely let a single word out without stuttering too harshly!" She chuckle softly to herself at the sentence before she continued on. "I know what you're p-probably thinking...Why would you let someone like this girl into this competition? She just going to end up being vote it off at the first episode...W-Well, I don't think I'll make t-through the first few episode either..." She chuckled to herself softly, before turning away from the camera and begin stroking the fur of her cat. "...But I believe that I-I do have an chance of surviving. I may not be the most strongest, or the smartest...or even the most noticeable. But I do have the determination and hard work ethic that's helping me through this." She turned to the camera, the nervous smile once printed on her face was now replaced with one filled with determination. "So I hope you'll at least consider me! I appreciate the time you took to watch this audition tape and wish you all a pleasant day!" She bowed down one last out of politeness before stepping out of the frame. The camera remained on, now just filming the cat as it glanced at the camera in predator-like fashion for an few moments before it just jumped at it. You can hear AJ yelling out "Mochi, Don't you dare!" before the camera than turned black.

 _Brett Drake_

Brett is seen in his bedroom, which has a few posters every here and there, along with a desk and laptop, much like a normal bedroom for someone his age. Brett himself is looking right at the camera. "Hello there," he said, "My name's Brett, and I wanna compete in the newest season of Total Drama. I want to be able to win for my family's sake, for doing so much for me over the years. If I win, I'm gonna use the prize money to support them." Brett smiled a bit before continuing, "I have a lot of interests and, with that a lot of experience I can use for the field, for instance-" At that moment Brett's left sleeve tore right at the upper arm, revealing his bicep. "Ah shoot," Brett said, meek smile on his face, "You wouldn't believe how often that happens. Anyway as I was saying, I have a lot of experience I can use on the fie-" At that moment the top four buttons on his shirt burst off, revealing his huge pecs. At that moment, he gave off another sheepish grin, he then kept talking, even as his shoulder burst out of his right sleeve. "Yeah, like I said, that happens a lot. Anyway, pick me! I won't let you down!" (Tape ends)

 _Anthony Sterling_

The scene shows a work room. Their is a boy shown working on something. The boy then turns to face the camera, and notices it is on. "Hello I'm Anthony, and it will be great to be on your show" Anthony says with a smile. "Not only will it benefit me, but it'll benefit your show greatly to have a mind like mine" Anthony starts fixing something, while he continues talking "My parents think I should make more friends and I think this show is a great way to test myself, so pick me" Anthony finishes fixing the thing, which is some kind of box thing. The box thing collects all the tools and things off the table and puts it away into a suit case. The camera then slowly powers off.

 _Ciara Yates_

We see Ciara sitting on a bench in a schoolyard playing her guitar while someone else is filming her. Ciara is also writing lyrics on a paper, but she appears to be struggling. "Hmm, I just can't think of what to write next.". Her thoughts are interrupted from the girl filming her. "CiCi, look who's over there."

Ciara sees that it's a guy walking towards the school. Ciara moves rather quickly toward the guy while her friend just sighs, knowing what would most likely happen.

"Hi, I'm Ciara. I remember you from band class, think you could help me write this song I'm working on? I'm having trouble." She then whispers in his ear, "Then maybe after school, we can go back to your place, and I can really hit the high notes!" The guy has a creeped-out look on his face.

"Sure, I'd love to help you. And of course I'd nail you after knowing next to nothing about you."

"Really? Yay!"

"I was being sarcastic, idiot." He walks away, as Ciara walks back to her previous spot on the bench.

"That could've gone better. But maybe if I get accepted on this Total Drama season, I'll actually find a guy who likes my jokes! That would be so exciting! Then I'd get closer to my dream, working with Mariah Carey! EEEE!"

"CiCi, calm down. The reason you keep getting rejected is cause you're too blunt with your intentions. You need to be less sexually explicit."

"I have no idea what you just said. Ooo, I should write a song about that!". The camera turns off, while Ciara's friend just sighs.

 _Clifford Anderson_

The camera opens up to a multi colored bedroom, pictures of paint on the walls, with rambunctious noise of people and kids outside of the door. No one was in front of the camera, but it was fumbling to be set at a correct orientation.

"Forgive the loudness of the ongoing concert that is my house..." A deep smooth voice spoke behind the camera, which sounded a little agitated, before they made their way to the front of the camera to sit on their bed. It was shown to be Clifford, sporting a pink outfit that consisted of a polo, shorts, and vans. His dyed blue afro reflected from the lighting.

"Telly people, hello! I shall introduce you with a little ballad of mine, if you have the brain cells to listen to the expertise." He snickered darkly as he reached behind him to pull out a small ukulele, immediately strumming an upbeat tune.

"Total Drama, a show full of laughter all about, with stunts so horrific my legs might give out, meeting all these strangers from dark to fair, saying idiotic phrases like-"

"Yo, Cliff! Ma just made food, come downstairs!" A deep male voice interrupted Clifford sing-a-long with an unintentional rhyme from behind the door, as the door knobbed constantly twisted. "And why this door locked? Ma don't play that around here, Cliff, you know this!" The person banged on the door again.

Clifford groaned and desperately looked into the camera, "As ironic as this sounds, your show is my sanctuary right now. I'm tired of being here. Literally all my brothers live around the house. They waltz around like they own the place ALL THE DAMN TIME. Do you KNOW how exhausting it is with all this testosterone in the house?" He pointed in a threatening manner at the camera. "And I include my sisters, because they're all about that sports life too!"

"CLIFF! GET OUT!" The male brother yelled out on the door.

Clifford exhaled sharply. "Boy, you don't know how long I've wanted to try that one..." He mumbled in response to his brother, before he gazed at the camera again, leaning forward to grab it. "Do yourself a favor and check Clifford Andersen off the bucket list for the contestant who boosts the most ratings. Trust me, I'll deliver the moment I step into the limelight." He winked mockingly, clicking his tongue in the process as he shut off the camera.

 _Dante Valverde_

The camera turns on and there is a dark room filled with Cars and Sports posters. Dante is on the floor doing push ups.

"One hundred forty-seven, one hundred forty-eight, one hundred forty-nine, one hundred fifty." He then gets up from the ground and wipes sweat off his face. "Look I'm going to be honest I don't know anything about your dumb show, but my sister wants to be on it and if she's going I have to be there to take care of her. I've seen those shows and guys sign up just to see who can get the hottest girl. She's too nice to know when someone's taking advantage of her. Basically, if you want her then your taking me too understand." Dante then lays down and starts doing sit-ups as the camera turns off.

 _Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire_

The camera opens on an enormous bedroom filled with expensive looking items. There are also several pure breed dogs lying on the floor asleep. Sitting on the large luxurious bed is the heiress herself.

"Hello Total Drama Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire here and ready to win your silly little game. As you know my family is quite wealthy and quite powerful. Not only do we have a net worth larger than several small countries, but my parents were voted the most powerful people alive by 3 different major countries. Let me tell you now you can accept me of your own free will or I can have your production company bought, your men fired, and replaced with those that will take me. Now you're probably wondering why I Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire would even bother with your pathetic show. The prize is a drop in my sea of wealth and I definitely don't need to make friends with anyone so beneath me. Some would say they want to prove their superiority, but it's so obvious I'm better than everyone there's nothing to prove. It also has nothing to do with getting to meet common people. I couldn't care less how those pathetic lot live their lives. So why do I want to join? It's simple really. I want to join because..." The audition tape is abruptly cut off.

 _Gonzo De La Cruz_

The camera turns on to show Gonzo running down the sidewalk. The camera is shaky as though the holder is running too. "Hey, guys!" An explosion punctuates the background. "I'm Gonzo Enrique-Núñez-García Ramírez-Vasquez-Rodriguez-Hernandez-Cortés Martínez-Roberto De La Cruz, but you can call me Gonzo." Shots ring out. A dog howls. "I'm a perfectly average person," a yell. Gonzo is still running. "I like skateboarding, extreme stunts, and FIRE!" they turn the corner. In the background there is a policeman. Gonzo motions to turn back around. "So, if you pick me, you know I'll be a fun person." Another yell. "What are you waiting for? Pick me!" he says to the camera holder. "Shut it off and ditch it, before they find us!" he smiles back at the camera as it shuts off.

 _Johnathan Maxwell Thomas Cooper III_

A screen of black with only the date is shown at first

"Dude is it on?"

"I think so... You had the lens cap on you dumbass!"

Two seperate voices are heard, until said cap is pulled off and then it shows a tall, muscular teen and a significantly shorter, chubby boy.

"I'm Johnny," the taller one starts, "And this is my audition for Total Drama Rebirth of the Island!"

The screen flashes to static and then shows the camera being moved around at a concert. Girls are mainly in the crowd and then the camera pans to Johnny, whom is shown climbing a stage ladder, and once he's at the top, he screams

"PICK ME FOR TOTAL DRAMA!",

It flashes to static again and shows Johnny hanging out the roof of a car, speeding, and in the quick cut Johnny screams again,

"PICK ME FOR TOTAL DRAMA!"

Another long flash of static until it shows Johnny at a baseball game, he's covered completely in a blanket

"Watch this." He says with a smirk. He jumps out of his seat and throws off his blanket, while jumping onto the field. He's completely nude, screaming

"PICK ME FOR TOTAL DRAMA!" repeatedly

 _Kai Nohea_

A dark, tanned skinned boy can be seen standing in front of a store. The store is on the beach, which can be seen in the background. The sky is a dazzling orange color. A sign in front of the store says "Nohea Surfing Goods and Novelties"* 'Sup, Total Drama Dudes and Dudettes? Name's Kai. I'm sendin' in this audition 'cause I dig your show somethin' fierce, and it'd be killer if I got on the next season, dig? Why should ya' pick me? Well, I'm a chill dude. I don't let nothin' get to me, and on a show like Total Drama, that may not seem good, but sometimes variety is nice, yeah? I'm super sociable, and I know that sociable peeps are super popular. And I love ridin' waves and swimmin', and I think it'd be cool to try that on a new island. And Bridgette is super popular in the Total Drama community, and she's a surfer and lover of nature like me. Just sayin', haha. So thanks for watchin' my tape, peeps, and I'm hopin' to hear back from ya! Later!

 _Kahlin "Kyle" Mora_

There is distinct chatter as the camera is lying down, then it is picked up and a flashlight on the camera shines on three teens in a dusty run down upper floor hallway.

"Cough, cough, damn Mora, y'all got that camera workin' yet? Hurry up and film the vid so we can get outta this here place. I'm fixin to get back to the truck and sleep there instead for the night!" Exclaimed Kyle's boisterous friend, Travis in his southern accent.

"Yeah dude, it's about time too. I thought my sister was making a jacked up joke when she gave me the thing." said Kyle.

"Tee hee hee, looks like Travis is most certainly frightened by the old decor yet again. You would think all that prideful boasting would surface here." Giggled Kyle's elegant and soft spoken friend, Lyra.

"Hey there Lyra, this place be given' me the creeps! I only came here to support my buddy Kyle to get on the show!"

"Fair enough Mr Dalton." Lyra said as she giggled once more

"Aight. Time to get started. Yo it's Kyle here, I'm here to get ready for the smackdown in the new Total Drama. I know about all the crazy stuff you guys all pulled the previous years and I wanna be apart of that ya feel me? So I'm all ready to get on and live the experience!

..Annnd CUT! Thanks a bunch guys for helping out with this. I owe ya guys one."

"Eh it's no prob buddy, anythin' to help my best guy out. Now let's hurry and get outta here befor-AHHH GODDAMMIIT..uhh I told ya guys..." Travis shouted as the floor cracked under him as he fell through.

"Travis! I'm coming man!" Yelled Kyle as he ran down stairs.

Lyra had slight wide eyes and was about to follow them downstairs until she noticed the camera on the floor still running and picked it up.

"Hm, don't worry about him. This happens quite often. He surpsingly secretly enjoys hanging around here sometimes. He appriciates the excitement, and he'd never know that unless Kyle showed him that. But...help my friend Kyle out, he'd very much appreciate it. Trust me." Lyra said to the camera and smiled as she stopped the recording.

 _Koh_ Lewandowski

The camera opens up to a girl's back, who is spray painting a wall, with the logo of her gang, the Black Hellhounds, and underneath it: 'Long Live Evil.'

"Yo, Koh, the camera's on," Val says.

Koh smirks as she turns to face the camera. "What's up, Total Drama Producers, the name's Koh, Koh Lewandowski to be exact. Don't forget my name, cause it will be your worst nightmare. I'm the perfect contestant for your show: I'll cause the most drama. I'm part of a gang, the Black Hellhounds, which is one of the cruelest gangs in Toronto. We're complete rivals with the Poisoned Anacondas, and I want revenge on their leader, Castiel Ortega, he had his gang kill my parents. Don't select me, and you will regret it." She glares at the camera, as it fades out.

 _Kyoko Hanabari_

The tape cuts to a young woman with brown hair standing in a room, the walls covered with hundreds of drawings. A smile is on her face as she holds a white puppy like plush in her arms, and she clears her throat before speaking.

"Hi Total Drama, Kyoko Hanabari here, but you can call me Kyo or Hana." The youth states as she tugs her goggles into place, "Why I want to join total drama is... well... to befriend people. But also to compete. I'm a person who doesn't say no to a good competition." Kyoko pauses to think more, before grinning. "As to why you should choose me... I'm quite strong despite my stature, and very resourceful. It takes a mixture of both brains and brawn to get through this, and I'm doing it in my own way."

"You do know there's no "shortcut" to winning in your case, right?" A playful male voice asks.

"Kohaku! What are you doing in my room?" Kyoko asks off screen.

"Just wanted to video bomb your audition Hana." The camera shakes as it's taken off the tripod, and a 14 year old male with black hair and blue eyes grins as he looks into the screen, "Hi Total Drama! Accept my sister's audition! She could use another art buddy!"

"KOHAKU! SHUT UP!" The filming cuts off.

 _Lucina "Lucy" Von Richter_

Hello Total Drama my name is Lucina Von Richter. My friends like to call me Lucy though. At least I think they would. I actually don't have any friends but I'm happy either way. If my name sounds familiar it's because I was in the news a few years back. You may recall the LA preteen murder trial. I got accused of murdering someone very important when I was 12. Just know I was found innocent and I really didn't kill anybody so you don't have to worry about anyone dying if you chose me. Ever since I was found innocent I've wanted to be a lawyer. Which type I'm not sure yet, but I will be one. You see both the defense and prosecution in my case were really hot and I heard it pays a lot so that's a double win. Law school isn't cheap though. That's why I want to be on your show. To try and get money for law school. Who knows I might even get to make some friends. I haven't had those in a while. So choose me if you want your show to be real killer... get it... killer becuase the trial. I swear I didn't kill anyone.

 _Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines_

Greetings fellow humans! I hear there is a new total drama, am I right?"

Says the weird looking girl to the camera while a merry go around burns in the background.

"Weeeelll! you know what they say...? that I need to change! you hear that? thats truly insane if I can tell you... I just come to the fair and see that cuuuute mary go somethingoranother-thingy..." She point at the gigant bonfire behind her that used to be a merry go around.

"As I was saying... I'm completely sane! that its just the way I am, I can't help burning things and being like that... its not my fault, its fault of everyone else!"

As she keeps talking the rain begin to fall and extingish the fire, leaving the poor girl wet through.

"Mmm... I wanna to be in total drama, and win it! I think it would be funny but I also want to show everyone that I'm as normal as anyone else! Mmm... can the rain also be burned...?"

The image then goes black and the tape end.

 _Maximilian Brooks_

"Is it on?" the camera move up and down "Cool. I know I don't look like somebody who should be in this show, but trust me - I'm. I can work in team and I'm good at sports. I can also dance and-" somebody throw a football ball in his head "Oh, so you play that way..." he throw the ball back, camera showing how the ball hit a dude in his kiwis "Hehe, sorry! Can you cut that part?" the camera move left and right "Oh..."

 _Miriam Hakimi_

The camera turns on to see Miriam on the dance floor. She stands definite with hands on her hips

"Hit it Duke!" she yelled to the DJ.

With the beats resonating throughout the club. Miriam taps her foot to the song staring down as she gets ready for the big bang in the song. Once it hits, the lights of the club spot on her as she points her hand in the air pointing up as she starts voguing to the beat.

She never skips a beat, she hits each boom perfectly as she flies and swings all across the club. The lights, sounds and movements mesh as one, as though Miriam has achieved its it's very essence. The passion, the determination, the confidence in her expressions and movements were exemplified. No words were needed, the dance told you everything you needed to know. This girl was fearless, prepared and ready for battle.

The song finally ended as she hit the final beat, her posed in a way that gave a powerful vibe to her facing down just as she was in the beginning. She had one on her hips and another pointing to the camera.

"Total Drama," she slowly lifted her head.

"Be prepared, I've come to conquer."

 _Nadine Navarro_

The camera is showing Nadine's bedroom. The door then opens and comes in a bright skinned girl which was Nadine. She walked toward the camera and sat on her chair.

"Hello Friends! My name is Nadine" She said with a bright smile.

"This is a video for Total Drama and why I want to be in it"

"I have a super awesome attitude and can make new friends with it!" She said enthusiastically.

"My attitude may be bright but I can also compete to win the money."

Her skin then gets brighter when she said her last sentence, "So I hope you pick me to be on Total Drama."

"Later everyone!" She said with a wink and a peace sign.

The camera stops.

 _Nicky Krane_

Nicky is in front of the camera holding her violin.

NICKY: He-hello. My name is Nicky Krane and I would like to be on your show. I know I don't look old enough to be on the show, but I'm 18, I swear! I want to get on your show to prove to my family that I'm not a kid. So, I will be playing the violin for you.

She starts playing and its really good. You hear a door open in the background and a difference voice is heard.

?: Kitty? What are you doing?

Nicky stops playing.

NICKY: Emily? Nicole? What are YOU two doing here?

Two girls, both taller than Nicky by a foot, walk into camera view.

NICOLE: We're just seeing what our little sister Kitty is doing.

Nicky puffs her cheeks out in anger.

NICKY: I told you Nicole, I'm not your little sister. I'm older than both of you by a few years.

Nicole walks up to Nicky and gives her a big bear hug, lifting Nicky off her feet.

NICOLE: Age doesn't matter to us Kitty. You will always be our little sister.

Nicky tries to break out of Nicole's embrace, but can't. Emily walks up into the camera and looks at it.

EMILY: Hey Kitty, what's this camera for?

NICKY: NO, DON'T TOUCH IT!

Nicky breaks out of Nicole's bear hug and runs to Emily but trips and hits the camera, causing it to fall to the floor and end the video.

 _Sarah Blake_

The camera is on but the screen is black, "Shit I forgot to take the cap off" the camera cuts and turn back on this time showing Sarah's bedroom, on the floor there's a girl laying on the floor mumbling "why, why am I doing this" the camera turns off again and turn back on again but this time showing a girl with a half smile sitting on a chair waving at the camera "Hi my name is Sarah and this tape is for the Total Drama series." " Now the reason why I think I should be chosen for this show is cause I am a very resourceful and skilled person" she said with a prideful tone, "I also work well with others, I'm a fair person who enjoys a good challenge." " As such I believe that I have what it takes, so I hope you choice me to participate on Total Drama and Goodbye" the screen fades with a Sarah smiling and waving at the camera.

 _Tom Quinn Nguyen_

The video camera starts and Tom is sitting on a couch, writing in his notebook. He looks at the camera, smiles, and awkwardly waves before beginning.

"Hey there Total Drama producers! I'm Tom Nguyen, and I wanna apply for your show!" Said Tom, who smiled weirdly

"I believe that my friendliness and good memory of the smallest details can slowly, but surely get me that prize money! On top of that, I..." He is interrupted by another voice that is slightly deeper.

"Tom, I'm gonna run to the store and pick up some eggs! Do you wanna come with me?" The voice asked.

"No thanks Dad! I'm busy recording a video!" Tom replied, hoping to get his Dad out of the house immediately.

"A video?! Can I be in it?" Tom's Dad asked.

"Umm... I really wanted the video to only be about..." Tom is interrupted again by his Dad

"Oh, I see. You said a while ago that I'm your favorite family member and this is how you repay me?" Tom's Dad said with a tone of slight sadness.

"No no! I'm sorry Dad! Here, I'll put you in the video right now!" Tom said in a quick panic, giving the video camera to his Dad.

"Hello there! I'm Tommy, aka, Tom's Dad! As a 42-year-old man, I've been working in the Engineering..." He is interrupted by a car honking, possibly from his wife Theresa.

"Oops! My wife is waiting for me in the car, I'll see you around!" Tommy concluded as he gave the video camera back to his son.

As he ran out of the house, Tom wrote down some notes, possibly about what had just happened.

"Anyways, before I was interrupted by my Dad, I was gonna keep talking about happiness and sunshine rainbows, but thanks to him, I've figured out a plan to get revenge on him," Tom said as he was planning revenge against his Dad for interrupting and guilt-tripping him.

He showed the camera his notes, which read, 'I can't wait to buy you a brand new scale honey! This birthday gift will be perfect for you! - Love, Tommy.'

"You see, I may be quiet and socially awkward, but when it comes to writing..." He gives a small evil laugh before continuing, "That's a whole different story."

"So before I sign off and get my Dad kicked out of the house for a while, just know that if you want drama and mayhem with only one sticky note, then you better pick me Total Drama producers." Tom concluded with an evil smirk. Shortly right after, he turns off the video camera.

 _Wallace Corona_

The camera flickered on and a young boy with messy brown hair stood in front of the camera. "Um, hi." he gave an awkward and stiff wave. "My name is Wallace Corona, but you can call me Wally. I've decided to audition for Total Drama. I have several useful skill sets that could be useful for a show such as yours. I'm quick on my feet, crafty, and above all, a sure fire winner for this season. I know for this kind of show you have to outwit the competition, outplay them to stay ahead so you can outlast them, and I definitely have all of those particular skill sets thanks to years of preparing. So call me up, Total Drama. You'll be doing us both a favor." His eyes, which were once gleaming with confidence quickly darted nervously out his window and back to the camera warily. "Trust me."

 _Zelda Ophelia Valverde_

A camera turns on and there is a small room that is completely pink there are trophies and medals all over the room. Zelda is sitting on her bed holding an old brown stuffed dog.

"Hi my name is Zelda Valverde and this is my dog Spot, all though you may already recognize me since my dad has won several scientific and peace awards, not to mention my mother was a famous model. My parents have always had high expectations for me and I feel your show is a good place for me to start getting some recognition. If I win I'm sure my parents will be very proud of me. I also want people to recognize me for me and my achievements not because of my parents. I guess it's hard not to get recognized I mean I do share their genes. Interesting thing to note it is a common misconception that you get exactly half of your genes from your mother and half from your father. While this is technically true there is a small inaccuracy. You get an equal amount of chromosomes from each however other individual strands of DNA can be split between the two in a number of ways, not to mention various other relatives you could inherent genetics from. Anyway I hope you pick me for your show. I'm sure you won't regret it."


	5. Pain Reborn (Part 1)

On a brand new island that looks oddly familiar to the original island, there is everyone's favorite host Chris McLean, a middle-aged man with black, well styled hair wearing a dark teal shirt.

"What is up veiwng world. It's the host with the most Chris McLean back with more Total Drama. You may find the island to be familiar. That's because our production team spared no expense trying to find an island identical to the great Wawanakwa. Here on Wawanakwa II we will have 24 of the weirdest and craziest teens we could find battle it out for a million dollars. Get ready becuase this will be the greatest season yet with more pain, more surprising eliminations, and of course more drama than ever before. All of this coming right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." Chris said as he introduced the basic premise of the show.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

( **You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks emberassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby Maxamillion is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

"Welcome back everyone. Now we asked our contestants to arrive early this time around. We have a special surprise planned later on just for them. Now then lets go ahead and start welcoming our contestants." Chris said as he saw a boat approaching.

The first boat arrived and a 5'6" hourglass shaped female with moderate brown skin came off. She had a long wavy black ponytail and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a blue jean jacket vest, a black bikini top, a purple-pink skirt, and brown penny boots.

"Miriam how does it feel to be the first to arrive?" Chris asked the dancer.

"It's only fitting I'm the first to arrive seeing as how I'll be the last one to leave when I win this." Miriam said determined and confident.

"We'll see how long that confidence lasts once you see who you're up against." Chris said. Miriam simply shrugged off his comment and went to the end of the dock.

The next contestant to arrive was a very large male. He was 7'0" and seemed to have an eight pack. He had caucasian skin with a simple tan, blue eyes, and medium blonde hair in a Fauxhawk. He was wearing an Auburn colored, long sleeved button-up shirt. The shirt was very tight on him, so there was some strain on and even tiny gaps between the buttons. He had a pair of ash gray jeans which were also tight on him and a pair of Charcoal colored sneakers. Since his clothing was tight it revealed a small amount of skin on his arms, torso, and legs.

"Sup Brett how was the morning ride?" Chris asked him.

"I'm used to waking up early so it wasn't too bad." Bret said. As he walked over with Miriam his arm sleeve tore slightly.

"No offense but that shirt clearly doesn't fit you." Miriam told him noticing the tear.

"It's not exactly easy to buy in my size unless it's all tailor made. I'm used to this though it happens all the time." He answers.

The next boat arrived shortly. Off of it came a 5'7" inch Filipino woman with tan skin. She had long black hair reaching near her armpits and brown eyes with black round glasses. She was wearing a black tank top with a gray cardigan, slim jeans, and forest green toms.

"Nadine it's nice to have you here." Chris told her. Nadine smiled.

"It's even nicer to be here Chris. Oh I can't wait this is going to be a great time and I already know I'll make so many new friends." Nadine said before happily walking to the end.

"I give it a few days before she realizes this isn't Total Sunshine Island." Chris said laughing once Nadine was gone.

The next contestant who arrived shortly afterwards was quite short being only 5'0". She was petite and slender with a small bust and small curves. She had fair skin that showed off her rosy colored cheeks and large doll like hazel eyes. Her hair was pale blonde that reached above her shoulders and was naturally wavy with her long fringes pulled aside behind her ears. She wore a short sleeved, pastel pink shirt with graphic kitten head on the front, a sandy brown long cardigan sweater with the sleeves rolled up, a pale lavender colored skirt held up by a belt, gray knee-length wool socks, and brown combat boots. She also had black studded earings and a silver choker.

"This is AJ everyone. AJ that's your competition so far." Chris said pointing to the others. He knew AJ would lose her calm once he mentioned the other contestants.

"G-glad to be here Chris." AJ said trying her best to stay confident. She awkwardly moved to the rest but you could tell she was keeping her distance.

"I'll admit she did better than I expected." Chris said surprise how little AJ had freaked out.

Suddenly the smell of smoke started to fill the area. In the distance he saw the next boat to arrive was on fire and sinking. Before it was completely destroyed the next contestant managed to jump onto the dock. She was a slim 5'1" female with fair white skin. Her hair was styled in two neon blue twintails which turns purple in color at the ends, and had a bang that covered her forehead. There were two pieces of hair at her head's sides that weren't tied into the twintails. Her lips were painted black. She had almond shaped, teal green eyes with big square shaped blue framed glasses. As for clothing she was wearing a white blouse with a blue scarf around her neck, a short blue skirt, thigh-high white socks and black shoes. An interesting detail was she had a painful looking scar on her right arm.

"Maddie what did you do to the boat?" Chris asked yelling at her. "Do you have any idea how expensive those things are?" He asked.

"Well it was a long trip and I was falling asleep. I went down to explore the engine room and found the control thingy to try and make the boat faster. When that didn't work I added more fire to see if that would speed it up. In my defense we were over the ocean I thought the water would put out the fire." Maddie explained. Chris had no words for her explanation and just pushed her away with the others.

"That looked dangerous. Are you alright?" Nadine asked Maddie worried about her.

"Relax that wasn't even the craziest thing I've ever been through." Maddie said laughing.

"You aren't going to set the Island on fire while everyone is asleep are you?" Miriam asked Maddie a bit concerned about her safety.

"No promises." Was all Maddie said in regard to her question.

After Maddie's "interesting" entrance the next boat carried a more normal contestant. He was slender, yet slightly toned and 5'11" with light brown skin. He had shaggy, but simple short dark hair and a goatee. His eyes were dark brown and he had subtle dark circles under his eyes. He was wearing a blue baseball jersey with a white tee underneath, brown jogger pants and white converse. He also had a gray baseball hat backwards and fingerless black gloves.

"Wow Kahlin I know you had to get up early but how tired are you?" Chris asked noticing the dark circles under his eyes.

"Please call me Kyle it's what everyone does and I'm not that tired." Kyle said shrugging off Chris' comment and leaving for the end of the dock.

Chris looked to see when the next boat would arrive, but instead saw a small figure approaching quickly in the distance. The next contestant arrived having ditched his boat for his surboard and riding a nearby wave. He was well toned and 6'1" with a dark tan. He had black dreadlocks that reached his shoulder and deep blue eyes. He was wearing a pair of orange flip flops, a white tank top with a palm tree on it, and yellow, floral patterned swim trunks.

"Kai man way to make a good entrance." Chris complimented once Kai had made it onto the dock.

"Yeah man the waves just looked perfect so I couldn't resist. It was a great way to wake up too." Kai told him he grabbed his board and went over with the rest.

"Those were some cool moves you had." Brett complimented offering Kai a high five. Kai reciprocated the high five.

"What'd you think?" Kai asked Miriam noticing that she was looking over at him.

"Not bad, but we'll see how you manage off the board and on land." Miriam told him.

The next contestant to make their way onto the island was a lean and slim 6'0" male with a dark brown complexion and paint spots on his face and hands. He had a short top tapered afro, which had very loose curls toward the top and tightly coiled curls toward the back. The majority of his hair was black, but the top of the afro was dyed a royal blue. He wore a dark denim jacket which loosely fell over a vineyard vines short sleeved button down polo. The polo was uniquely designed in many different pastel colors, with a different color in each section. On one sleeve a light red, on the other a lavender color, the collar and the seam that the buttons were on was a light blue, half of the torso was a light green, the other half was a pale pink, and the back of the shirt was the same light blue as previously mentioned. Accompanying the shirt was dark denim three quartered jeans with patches on them, and a pair of brown moccasins. He also had a black wide brimmed hat, half framed horn rimmed black glasses, a deep brown beaded necklace with a music note hanging from it, a small gold and white Swarovski watch, and other beaded bracelets.

"Hey Clifford you forgot to clean up after your last painting session." Chris said making fun of Clifford for the paint spots he had.

"Real funny Chris." Clifford said trying not to let his irritation with Chris show so quickly. He walked away and Nadine went up to him.

"I'd love to see some of your artwork later if you don't mind." She told him.

"Sure maybe later." Clifford replied.

Following Clifford was another artist, though this one you couldn't tell just by looking at her. She was fair skinned and 5'0". Slightly hourglass shaped with a small chest, arms reaching her upper leg which was slightly thick her hair was brown and shoulder length but you couldn't really tell as it was in pigtails. She had one blue eye, one green eye with purple glasses. She was wearing a purple t shirt with a silver butterfly on the front of it, loose fitting black pants, and brown boots with brass dots on em. She also wore a pink newsboys cap with a pair of copper goggles on it. Around her neck was a necklace she made herself and she carried a white plush dog.

"Kyoko glad to see you're not a mess of an artist. Maybe you can teach Clifford a thing or two about picking up after yourself." Chris said pointing over to Clifford.

Kyoko was unsure of how to respond to him. She walked over and she ended up next to Clifford.

"So you're an artist too?" Clifford asked Kyoko.

"Umm yeah maybe we can compare our artwork when we have a chance." Kyoko said nervously.

What came next surprised everyone, even more surprising than Maddie's boat being on fire. Rather than the regular boats that everyone else was put on a luxurious ship at least 5 times as big featuring a spa, jacuzzi, and sauna showed up. The contestant that stepped out was 5'5" and had light skin with piercing blue eyes. Her body could be described as perfect in every way while her hair was blonde and reached her upper back with a black diamond encrusted headband keeping it in place. She was wearing a white blouse and black skirt. She also had a fur coat, designer sunglasses, black high heels, and a designer handbag.

"Genevieve where'd you get this beauty from it's far out of the show's budget?" Chris asked seeing the amazing ship.

"Well I am Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire. I wouldn't be caught dead on anything worth so little so I bought this before I left. I have no need for it so it's all yours." Genevieve told him. She handed Chris the boat keys and he had an intern take it back to his private crib.

"She is officially my new favorite contestant." Chris said in love with his luxurious new ship.

"So princess what's a rich chick like you want with a show like this?" Miriam asked Genevieve.

"First of all it's heiress not princess. Calling me a princess is such an insult when I'm so far above one. Secondly I have my own reasons for putting up with all of you lesser people." Genevieve told Miriam.

"Whatever princess. Don't expect to buy your way to victory." Miriam told Genevieve. Genevieve glared at Miriam for calling her princess again and insulting her skills but she held her tongue for now knowing she'd prove Miriam wrong later.

Following Genevieve was a smaller contestant. She was 5'3" with a dark skin tone. Her hair was red and short while her eyes were brown. She was wearing a pink T-Shirt, pink jeans that slightly show off her curves, and pink running shoes. With her was a guitar in it's case.

"Ciara, welcome to the island." Chris told her.

"I think I'm going to like it here." She said looking over to the other contestants and seeing Kai, Brett, Kyle, and Clifford. She went over and decided to try to flirt with Brett since he was closest. "Hey I noticed your shirt seems to be tearing. Why don't we go over to the cabins later and you can tear some clothes off me." She said

Brett blushed at her statement. "Oh... Umm that's okay my shirt rips all the time." He said nervously. While he usually didn't get flustered he was unprepared for someone to not only flirt but also offer herself up so quickly.

The next guy to arrive was 5'6" had white skin, and a decent build being only slightly skinny. His hair was reddish and long being tied in a ponytail but still reaching past his shoulder. His eyes were green. He wore a green T-shirt with a clover, orange shorts, and beige sandals.

"Maxamillion my man you feeling lucky?" Chris asked the Irish contestant.

"I was lucky enough to get chosen. I might as well have a good time here." Maxamillion told him he headed to the rest and Ciara went up to him hoping she'd have a better chance with him than with Brett.

"Hey Maxy meet me at the cabins later if you really want to get lucky." She told him flirtatiously.

"No thanks I'm not really looking for a girl right now. Or ever really. I'm not looking for a girl ever." Maxamillion told her trying not to be too hard on her, but making it clear he wasn't into girls. Ciara walked away saddened that she was rejected again.

"D-don't feel bad. If h-he isn't into girls he technically didn't reject you." AJ told Ciara seeing how sad she was. Ciara smiled and hugged AJ for the confidence boost.

"Half the cast down. Half to go." Chris said now that there were 12 on the island.

The next contestant was very small and skinny, standing at only 4'8". Her skin was slightly tan and she had green eyes. Her hair was brown reaching her shoulders with a blue bow in it. She was wearing a white button down shirt with a blue jacket, a plaid blue, knee long skirt, and white running shoes. She was carrying her violin in it's case.

"Kitty just so you know your older sisters asked us to keep a close eye on you." Chris told her.

"It's actually Nicky, and I'm the older sister." Nicky softly said. She knew her sisters were just playfully teasing her like they always, but she entered to get away from being treated like a child. Unfortunately that trait seemed to follow her here.

"Couldn't quite hear that Kitty. Just go with the rest over there okay." Chris said speaking slowly as though he were speaking to a child.

"I'm not a child." She yelled at Chris. Feeling embarrassed she immediately went with the rest.

"Hey I noticed your case. What do you play?" Ciara asked Nicky eager to see her instrument.

"The violin." Nicky said quietly.

"That's awesome. We should definitely jam together sometime." Ciara told her. This cheered Nicky up a bit after how Chris treated her.

The following contestant was 5'8" and lanky yet fit. He had pale skin and blue eyes. His hair was light brown and messy. He wore light brown shorts and a green shirt with the writing, "Keep an eye out!" that was covered in dirt.

"Wallace you look like a mess." Chris told him.

"I didn't exactly have time to get ready so early. Besides I had much more important things to prepare for." Wallace said. He went over to the others but made it clear he was keeping his distance.

Following Wallace was a female contestant. She was 5'6" and had an hourglass body. Her skin was white, her eyes were dark blue, and her hair was blonde. She wore a red hoodie with red trims.

"Sarah you ready to compete?" Chris asked Sarah. Sarah briefly looked over at the other contestants.

"Ready to compete and win. A few of them look tough but the rest is no problem." Sarah said confident in her own abilities.

When the next boat arrived Chris noticed that it was empty.

"Is that boat supposed to be empty?" Wallace asked.

"Nice the invention worked." An unknown voice said. The next contestant soon revealed themselves.

He was Korean American with fair skin. He had an okay build with blue eyes and spiky hair. He wore shades on his head, a gray buttoned up shirt, plain black pants, and black shoes. He also had a silver watch.

"How'd you do the disappearing act Anthony?" Chris asked him.

"It's an invention I've been working on. Didn't think it would work though." Anthony said. Suddenly the device he had short circuited itself. Anthony was a bit disappointed it broke but decided this was still a helpful trial run.

"Too bad about your device. That would have been quite the advantage." Sarah tells him.

"There's always next time. I just hope the parts I brought for my inventions last me the season." Anthony said.

The following contestant was 5'10" and lightly tanned. He was slightly lanky but had broad wide shoulders. His hair was thick, slightly curly, and black combed neatly at the top and back of his head with the sides shaved. He had a strong jawline with a beard shadow and a beauty mark under his left eye. He wore a maroon red and black long-sleeved flannel shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, dark blue jeans held by a black belt and a silver buckle, and dark boots.

"Howdy Aiden." Chris told the cowboy/actor.

"Howdy to you Chris. Ah can't wait to get going." Aiden said. He walked over to the rest of them.

"Chris did you really accept a nobody from the deep south. I thought you had standards." Genevieve complained not wanting to be near Aiden.

"No need to worry mam. I'm edgucated and mah folks taught me to be a proper gentleman." Aiden said hoping to calm her down. Genevieve simply scoffed at his response.

Up next was one of the last three female contestants. She was 5'8" slightly tan and had a slender athletic build. Her hair was black and straight in bangs while her eyes were an odd color, purple. She was wearing a black t-shirt with a white skull on it, black tights, a blue skirt with chains on them, black fingerless gloves, and black boots with chains on them.

"Koh..." Chris started but Koh cut him off.

"Don't bother with introductions McLean. The faster we get started the faster I win." Koh said before heading off.

"Howdy there." Aiden said as Koh stood next to him. Koh merely ignored Aiden. Seeing that Koh was ignoring Aiden, Ciara used this as her opportunity to flirt with him.

"Hey cowboy I've always wanted to be a cowgirl if you know what I mean." She said winking.

"Why I'm flattered darlin, but ma says ah got to buy yah dinner first." Aiden said politely turning her down.

The next contestant to arrive was 5'7" and quite skinny. His skin was light yellow though his arms and legs were a bit darker. His hair was short and black with the front gelled upward and his eyes were blue. He had a minor burn scar on his left cheek. He wore a short-sleeved, turquoise khaki shirt, brown cargo shorts, and green flip-flops.

"Tom what do you think of the island?" Chris asked him. Tom looked around for a moment before replying.

"It's alright although for a show like this you'd benefit from having a sign that reads abandon hope all ye who enter here." Tom suggested. Chris simply looked at Tom confused by what he said causing Tom to groan.

"Dante's Inferno." AJ said softly. Tom however barely managed to hear her.

"What did you say?" He asked as he approached her.

"D-dante's Inferno. That quote is the inscription to hell described in Dante's Inferno." She said speaking up.

"Well at least I know there's one person with some culturation here." Tom said causing AJ to blush. Once he was sure he wasn't being seen he took out a small pad and pencil and wrote a reminder to keep an eye on AJ. She may be useful to him.

The penultimate female contestant was next to arrive. She was 5'3" and had light peach skin. Though she was skinny she did have a few muscles. Her hair was short silver-blue and reached the back of her neck with a small bang that nearly covered her right eye completely. Her eyes were gray and she had a small nose. She wore a long sleeved white blouse covered by black dress suit, a small black skirt, and black boots. She also had black gloves, white frame sunglasses with pink lenses, and sapphire earrings.

"Lucina are you ready to have a killer time? Chris asked putting emphasis on the word killer.

"You can just call me Lucy and yeah this game is going to be killer." Lucy said.

"You know I think it'd be unethical to let you compete without warning the others of your arrest history. Chris said teasing her over her history.

"I was found innocent so it doesn't really matter that I was put on trial for murder when I was only 12." Lucy said. She joined the others though some moved away from her concerned about the arrest Chris brought up.

Following Lucy was a very large male. He was 6'6" and quite muscular with tan skin. He had black, long, wavy slicked back hair with some hair that draped over his forehead, blue slanted eyes, and slight freckles. He wore a tan flannel shirt, with a white t-shirt, black ripped jeans, and checkered vans.

"Johnny man you ready to compete?" Chris asked him.

"I'm ready to party that's what I'm ready for." Jonathan said before cheering. He then ran over and gave a high five to all the other contestant. Some eagerly returned it while others just went along with it. Genevieve however flat out refused.

"I don't touch poor filth you know how contaminated my precious hands would get." She told him. Johnathan was persistent though.

"I'm not poor sweetheart. My folks have plenty of cash. Of course I'm cut off right now but that don't matter none." He told her.

"You're still a couple million short of being anywhere near my standards." She said. He decided to let it go as the next boat was about to arrive.

As the next boat was about to arrive it suddenly stopped before reaching the island and exploded. They heard a scream, presumably coming from the contestant that was on the boat, and vaguely saw him dive into water the swim to the dock. He was 5'8" and lean with notable muscle mass. His skin was a beautiful amber brown color but he had many scars. He had a black tall mohawk down the middle, cleanly shaven on the sides, round puppy dog's brown eyes. He wore a tee patterned with flames, and blue shorts. He did not wear shoes.

"That was awesome." He said once he was he was dry.

"Gonzo what was that?" Chris asked angrily knowing Gonzo had something to do with the explosion.

"I had to make an entrance Chris. What's better than narrowly escaping an exploding ship. I'm glad I managed to smuggle in what I needed to blow it up." Gonzo said. Chris sighed and pushed Gonzo away.

"Congrats you aren't the craziest one here anymore." Miriam told Maddie. Maddie however ignored her more interested in Gonzo.

"You have to teach me how you did that. I was able to get my boat on fire but it just sank. Yours completely exploded." She told him excitedly.

"Should we be concerned about letting the two of them together?" Kyle asked unsure how much damage they could cause together.

"I'm sure it will be alright. We'll simply have to take good care and watch over them." Nadine said.

The final boat arrived carrying the last two contestants, one male and one female. They were both tall, the female being 5'11" and the male being 6'6". They both had a light brown tan and brown eyes. The female had a curvy body with slight muscles and above average size breasts. She had shoulder length straight brown hair with natural blonde streaks kept in place by a pink headband. She wore a pink dress that reached her waist, a pink skirt, pink knee high socks, and pink shoes. She also had square pink glasses that she was completely blind without. The male was very bulky and muscular with short brown hair in a pompadour hairstyle. He wore a large brown trench coat reaching past his knees with a black shirt underneath, black jeans and red shoes. He also had a silver locket around his neck and a ruby ring on his right hand.

"Zelda and Dante now that you're here we can get started." Chris told them as they were the last two contestants to arrive.

"Thank you Chris I hope we have a great time right Dante." Zelda said pushing her brother slightly when she saw him glaring towards the other contestants, notably the other guys. They joined the others and the cast was complete.

"Welcome everyone to the newest season of Total Drama. You were each chosen due to your 'uniqueness' and now it's time to see who has what it takes to win." Chris said once Dante and Zelda made their way to the others.

Most of the contestants looked either tired or irritated. They didn't know that they would have to wake up early to catch the boat to the island and had been waiting for a while as everyone arrived.

"Chris if you don't mind me asking why did we have to come so early?" Tom asked curious as toward why their transportation was scheduled for such an early time. Chris laughed at his question.

"You'd better get used to waking up early. Besides we needed to have enough time for our challenge today." Chris explained.

Hearing that there would be a challenge several contestants started to worry as they were unprepared for a challenge on the first day.

"A challenge already. I can't believe one of us is leaving before we can even fully unpack." Miriam said eager to get started.

"I didn't say there would be an elimination today. The challenge is just to separate you into teams. Now you'll recall that you were asked to pack formal clothing. Go ahead and get to know each other in the meantime, but in a few hours get ready for the first annual Total Drama Ball. There will be gourmet food, the last you'll have in a while, and plenty of music to dance to. I'll see you all there." Chris said. He then left to his private area while his intern team started to set up for the ball leaving the contestants alone to form their first bonds or their first enemies.

Some of the contestants started walking away, but Aiden quickly got everyone's attention.

"Hey excuse me y'all. Sorry to interrupt but if we have a few hours before the shindig we should probably get ta know each other. No idea who'll be on our team till the challenge might as well take Chris's advice and mingle. How about we let one of the lasses begin." Aiden said hoping to get to know his competition and potential allies.

"Did you not hear Chris. We're having a ball to celebrate the start of the season. Ladies come with me and I'll help you get ready. With my help you might look almost a fraction of a percent as good as I do." Genevieve said excited for there to be a ball. Surprisingly the girls followed Genevieve to get ready even those who didn't really care much for the ball. As Zelda was going to follow them Dante grabbed her hand.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked her.

"With the other girls to get ready." Zelda said. She thought for a moment and smiled. "Unless you'd rather have me stay here with all you guys." She said knowing how Dante would react.

"You're right go over with the girls. I'll take care of the guys." Dante said not wanting her near the other guys.

"Well I guess it's just us fellas." Aiden said once the girls all left.

"Good now listen up all of you. My sister is off limits you understand. I don't want to see any of you even looking at her or you have to deal with me." Dante threatened.

"Chill out man none of us are trying to hook up with your sister. We're just here to have some fun." Kai said hoping to calm Dante down. Dante however just stormed off.

"What's his deal?" Maxamillion asked seeing Dante angrily storm off.

"If I had to guess he probably cares for his sister a bit too much." Clifford said. He knew he would have to keep an eye on Dante. Someone with a temper problem that bad could be helpful or hurtful depending on how he was used.

Over with the girls they were getting ready for the ball. Genevieve paid for all of them to go to the spa on the ship she gave Chris. Of course only a few of the interns were there, but the girls were still able to make themselves nice.

"You're life must be perfect if you have this luxury every day." Nadine said enjoying her last chance to relax.

"Perfection is overrated, but I suppose my life is vastly superior compared to yours." Genevieve said.

"You know you won't have any of these nice things in the competition." Sarah told Genevieve uninterested in all the pampering.

"I'm not an idiot. I know I'll have to live like a lowly commoner. I don't plan on buying my way to victory, I can manage that on my own." Genevieve said.

"If you ask me I'm pretty sure you only joined because daddy threatened to cut off his princess unless she proves herself." Miriam said.

"How cliche can you possibly be. I would never get cut off because my parents love me more than they love each other. They'd start World War Three trying to determine who would keep me if they got divorced." Genevieve said she then left the spa to relax in the sauna for a while.

"I really hope she's not on my team." Miriam said not knowing how much more of Genevieve she could handle.

"I hope she's on my team so I can take all her money while she's asleep and burn it." Maddie said her eyes eagerly sparkling at the thought of burning all of Genevieve's fortune.

"I hope you're not on my team either crazy." Miriam muttered.

The more shy girls were in the corner of the spa getting ready mostly by themselves. Ciara suddenly ran up to AJ and Nicky starting them.

"Nicky I need your opinion from one musician to another. Do you think this dress shows off my body well enough?" Ciara asked showing Nicky her formal pink dress.

"Oh um I think you look nice." Nicky said unsure of how to answer.

"I don't want to look nice I want to look stunning. I want to look so good it makes the guys drop dead and go crazy until they have their way with me." Ciara told them. Nicky and AJ blushed immensely at her statement.

"D-do you f-flirt with every g-guy you meet?" AJ nervously asked Ciara.

"Not every guy just most. I know my soulmate is out there and he'll be the one who laughs at my jokes." Ciara said fantasizing about her dream guy.

"She sure is passionate." Nicky told AJ.

"You should've seen that one. She burned down her boat when she arrived." AJ told Nicky pointing over at Maddie. The two of them laughed and then got back to getting ready.

A few hours had passed since the girls left to get themselves ready. Slowly some contestants headed over to where the ball was being held. It was at a mansion similar to the one seen in Total Drama All Stars, but much larger to fit the ballroom in.

"Dang this ballroom is real sweet. I hope Chris is planning on using this more in the future." Kai told Brett surprised at just how nice the room was. Kai was wearing a white tuxedo, with a crown of colorful shells and a shark tooth necklace while Brett was wearing a midnight blue suit with a white shirt underneath. It was just as tight as his usual clothes were.

"In a past season the winners got to stay in a mansion. Hopefully the winners stay here." Brett said. The two went over to serve themselves punch when one of the buttons on Brett's sleeve popped off and landed in the punch bowl.

"Well I guess there goes the punch." Clifford said seeing what had happened. He was wearing a deep metallic yellow formal vest with a bowtie of the same color, over a three quarter white collared button down with black buttons. He also had black pinstriped slacks and black loafers with a yellow fedora.

"Clifford you look awesome dude." Kai complimented. "I wouldn't worry too much about the punch bowl the interns have it taken care of." He added pointing over to a group of interns.

"The girls sure were serious about needing a lot of time to get ready. Maddie seems to be the only one here." Brett said noticing that nearly none of the girls were present yet.

Maddie was spending her time getting to know Gonzo since she was quite interested in him. Maddie was wearing a long black dress with fingerless fishnet gloves and her hair tied in a bun while Gonzo was wearing a very loud red sequined tux jacket with matching pants. Interestingly he still had no shoes.

"...Then I was told I was free to go. Of course I could never go back to that mall." Gonzo said telling Maddie one of his many misadventures.

"Wow you're hilarious Gonzo." Maddie said laughing at how insane his story was.

"Don't sell yourself short. I still can't believe how you got that scar on your arm. Most of my scars are just from skateboarding, nothing as crazy as what you did." Gonzo told her.

"I'm getting kinda bored of waiting around here. You want to do something?" Maddie asked Gonzo.

"Definitely. Let's go blow up one of the toilets in this place. There's like a million anyway." Gonzo said. The two ran off together to do their mischief. Tom and Maxamillion were sitting at a nearby table and managed to hear them.

"Do you think we should do something to stop them?" Maxamillion asked Tom. Maxamillion was wearing a dark green suit with a white shirt and a red tie. Tom was wearing a fancy white shirt that was covered by a black suit, a plain blue tie, black pants, and brown dancing shoes.

"I'd rather not get involved in anything the two of them are doing." Tom said eating from the plate of food that he had served himself.

The next four contestants arrived together to the ballroom. They were Ciara, Nicky, AJ, and Kyoko. Ciara's outfit was a pink dress and pink heels. Nicky wore a blue dress with blue heels. AJ had a simple short sleeve white dress and small black heels. Kyoko was wearing a pink tanktop-like blouse with a long purple skirt to it.

"Alright girls a ball like this is the perfect place for us to find guys. Let's split up and see just who have to work with." Ciara told them. Kyoko was about to protest however Ciara already ran off.

"Why did we come with her?" Kyoko asked AJ and Nicky. As nice as she was she didn't really want anything to do with Ciara's quest to find a boy.

"Well she was nice to us back at the spa. She helped us get ready and seemed interested in being friendly." Nicky said defending Ciara.

"D-don't you think it's a l-little s-scary how easily she c-can throw herself onto the g-guys?" AJ asked. As nice as Ciara seemed to be AJ couldn't hide she was really scared by her intense flirting.

"Like I said earlier she's just passionate. I wish I could be as confident as she is." Nicky said.

"I agree with you there." AJ said hoping some of Ciara's confidence would rub off on her over time. After all she joined to make friends and get better at communication.

Outside the mansion Dante and Zelda were having an argument. Dante was wearing a simple black suit and red bow tie while Zelda wore an elegant strappless pink gown

"I'm telling you to change. You're too exposed." Dante told Zelda. He felt his sister was showing too much skin in her outfit.

"Change into what Dante I only brought this for my formal clothing. It's not even that bad." Zelda argued.

"What do you mean not only are your arms completely exposed, but since you brought the strapless one your boobs stick out more." Dante criticized.

"Why are you always so critical of how I look. I'm never decent enough for you." Zelda said before shoving Dante and storming off. Dante sighed and was about to head inside when Kyle and Johnathan stopped him.

"We couldn't help but overhear that argument. I think you should apologize." Kyle said. He was wearing a red vest with red tie, red cummerbund, black pants, black dress shirt and black dress shoes.

"I think you should mind your own damn business." Dante said not caring for what they had to say.

"Dude she was real hurt by what you said. Plus it's kinda creepy you were checking out your sister." Johnathan said. He was wearing a red suit jacket and pants, a white shirt, a black bowtie, and a gold chain necklace.

"I wasn't checking her out. I was making sure she was decent enough that people like you wouldn't check her out." Dante yelled before pushing past them and going to the ballroom.

"Oh my what is Dante mad about?" Nadine asked as she arrived. She was wearing a navy short sleeve shirt, a black and white knee length skirt, and black flats.

"He got into a fight with his sister about what she was wearing." Johnathan told Nadine.

"Oh that's terrible. I should go find her." Nadine said wanting to help Zelda.

"Hold on a moment. We don't know how close they are as siblings. We might make things worse. Let's just see what happens." Kyle told Nadine.

"Yeah besides we're supposed to be having a party right now." Johnathan said getting back to his usual party self. The three went inside to enjoy their food and dance.

Even though most people were looking forward to the ball there were those few who didn't care much for it, such as Anthony who was working on an invention. He had still changed into his formal clothes and was wearing a black suit, with a red rose in his pocket.

"How come you're not at the party?" He heard a voice ask. Upon turning around he saw that it was Sarah with Wallace. Wallace simply had a white button up shirt and Sarah didn't even change.

"I could ask you the same question. Besides at least I'm changed." He pointed out.

"That's true, but it doesn't answer my question you know." Sarah said.

"I guess it doesn't. Honestly I'm not that good in social situations. I figured I'd get there right before Chris does. I'm sure our first challenge will be at the ball, but I can do without the music and the dancing." Anthony told her. Sarah smiled at what he said.

"I get you completely. Wallace and I were planning on ditching the dance, but we thought the same thing you did about our challenge being there." Sarah told him. Anthony looked over at Wallace.

"How come you didn't want to go?" He asked Wallace.

"I don't really trust anyone here. The less time we spend together the better. Besides I dislike loud noises and I assume the music will be insanely loud." Wallace said looking away.

"You know you'll have to learn to trust your team if you want to do well." Anthony told Wallace. Wallace scoffed at this.

"The whole point of this game is to use others to help you win. Luckily I'm prepared enough to stay one step ahead of everyone else." Wallace said before walking away.

"He's a bit paranoid don't you think?" Anthony asked Sarah.

"Probably but he does have a point about one thing. In a game like this you never know when your friends will become your enemies." Sarah said. Anthony thought for a moment about what she and Wallace said before mostly shrugging it off.

"Come on it's about time we got to the dumb dance." He said. The two headed off together. By the time they arrived everyone was already there except for two females.

"Okay we're only missing two more girls. Let's give them a bit to get here before I send Chef to hunt them down." Chris said. Chef was standing next to him looking as angry as usual.

"It won't be much longer now." Lucy said as she started writing in her diary. Interestingly she was wearing a purple Japanese Kimono. It had belonged to her birth mother and was one of the only things left from her.

"This party is so lame. There's hasn't even been anyone dancing." Miriam complained. She wore a short strapless burgundy dress that had iridescent beading on the front, a laced up back, a full tulle skirt, a silver necklace, and red peep toe pumps for shoes.

"If ya want ah can teach ya to square dance." Aiden offered. He was wearing a very nice red and black tuxedo with black slacks, a black bow tie, and black dress shoes.

"I doubt they have the music for that." Koh said. She was wearing a black dress with high heels and her hair was in a bun.

"I guess I'll just have to take matters into my own hands." Miriam said.

She went over to where the DJ was playing the music and whispered something to him. She then ran over to the center of the ballroom. The song Shut up and Dance by Walk the Moon started to play and she eagerly danced to the rhythm. As it started to pick up she went around to the other tables and forcibly pulled people onto the dance floor so they would dance along with her. Some of the people she grabbed were Ciara, AJ, Kai, Johnathan, Nadine, and Kyle. Ciara's made sure to show off her hips in her dance. Kai and Johnathan danced wildly just wanting to have a good time. Nadine was dancing very gracefully and elegantly. AJ was trying not to embarrass herself and just tried to move along with the music. Kyle simply tapped his foot and moved his arms a bit. Slowly as it wad apparent they were having fun more of the contestants sitting down joined in each dancing in their own unique style. Of course Miriam was still the star in the center. As the song came to an end she pulled off an amazing move causing everyone to clap for her. As everyone clapped Genevieve made her way into the room.

"Please please hold your applause. It is merely I, Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire." She said waiving to everyone similar to how a queen would wave. She was wearing a stunning top notch designer little black dress that probably cost her almost a million dollars. She also had a pearl necklace and a diamond tiara.

"They weren't clapping for you princess. Besides you're late." Miriam said glaring at Genevieve.

"I'm fashionably late. Besides we saved the best contestant for last." She said taking a seat. Suddenly Zelda came rushing into the room.

"Sorry I'm so late. I remembered I packed some gloves and wanted to see if they went with my outfit so my brother would stop bothering me." Zelda said out of breath. Sure enough she was wearing pink gloves that reached up to her elbow. Genevieve stormed up to Zelda.

"How dare you upstage me." She yelled. She was about to slap Zelda out of anger but restrained herself upon seeing Dante give her a death glare. Now that everyone was here they all left the dance floor and went back to their tables.

"Hey Chris isn't this show supposed to have a confessional area? I've got some words I'd like to say." Miriam said.

"We are supposed to have a confessional outhouse, but I was informed that it was broken." Chris said looking over at Maddie and Gonzo assuming one of them broke it. "It'll be up and running soon enough." He said.

"Well now that were all here what's our first challenge. I'd like to know who's on my team." Clifford said.

"Getting to the ball was the challenge. The first 12 to arrive are the first team and the second 12 are second team." Chris revealed to them. "So team one is Brett, Kai, Clifford, Maddie, Gonzo, Tom, Maxamillion, Ciara, Kyoko, Kitty, AJ, and Dante. Team two is Kyle, Johnathan, Nadine, Wallace, Sarah, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Aiden, Miriam, Genevieve, and Zelda." Chris revealed. The contestants separated into their two teams.

"I demand Zelda and I be on the same team." Dante yelled out frustrated he wouldn't be on the same team as his sister.

"You know if you hadn't told her to change then you would've been on the same team. This is all your fault you know." Chris pointed out.

"So then does this mean we can move into our cabins now?" Maxamillion asked.

"Not yet. Getting to the ball was challenge number one to decide teams. Your real first challenge starts right now and which ever team loses will send someone home before they can even finish unpacking." Chris revealed. Several contestants gasped at this. Chris then pushed a button on a remote and several small bombs started to go off inside the mansion.

"Will the contestants make it out of this place alive? Who will go home before the end of day one? Will Dante ever stop glaring at me?" Find out all this and more next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." Chris said ending the episode. He and Chef then headed out while the contestants were still freaking out about the bombs going off.

* * *

 **Episode 1 is now taken care of. Hope everyone had a great 4th of July. I spent it with my dogs so they wouldn't be too scared of the fireworks. This chapter was so dull to write since the majority of it was having a contestant arrive then copying their description from the application. Then I had to copy again when I did the formal outfits. I hope thers were enough character interactions that it wasn't too boring. Future chapters are going to take a bit longer to write and they might be a bit shorter. I imagine writing challenges will take some getting used to. I honestly forgot about confessionals until the end so that's why I added the line about it being broken. I'm pretty sure Chris forgot to set it up and is just blaming Maddie and Gonzo but that's just my headcanon. Let me know how I did with your character. Praise what I did well and criticize what I did wrong. If I'm ever misrepresenting your OC please let me know. Do you have a favorite OC you want to win (other than your own)? Also you'll notice I don't have team names. I was stuck unable to come up with something so if you have a suggestion I'm all ears. If not I'll just use a random team name generator. Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter even if it was a lot of copy and paste descriptions and see you soon.**


	6. Pain Reborn (Part 2)

**Review Responses**

 ** _Mistress Mysterious-_** Glad you liked the chapter. Zelda is an OC that I think has a lot of potential for plotlines especially with her brother Dante being involved. I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing more of her.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Thanks for the spell check. My computer has autocorrect but I don't always catch it. Good to know I'm writing Ciara right. I think she's a hilarious OC so get ready for some comedy. There some other non comedic plans I have but you'll have to wait and see for that.

 _ **AZW330-**_ First comment to mention my poor grammar. Sorry about that. I'll work on it. Kai reminds me a lot of Geoff and Bridgette put together, so I'm using them as a basis for writing. Of course I don't want Kai to just be a Geoff clone so I have some things planned that'll hopefully make him stand out.

 ** _Eternos137-_** Glad you're liking the personalities so far. This is quite a mixed cast of personalities so there is a lot to work with.

 _ **Aleister Bloodrive VII-**_ It's quite the variety of characters you like. All of these OCs were very well made so I'm doing my best to present them as well as I can. Don't worry Maddie will have interactions with the girls as well as Gonzo. Also I agree that not many use the formal clothing. Of course I knew a ball wasn't exactly Total Drama material so I added the challenge to it.

 _ **t20n00-**_ Second comment to mention my grammar. I'm glad the chapter was still really enjoyable despite the grammar issues. I'm also glad you really enjoy how I'm working with Tom. He has a lot of depth to him so it gives me a lot of room for growth. It might seem as though a relationship between him and AJ is guaranteed, but I'd say keep reading before you assume anything. You never know what twist could come up in Total Drama. Needless to say Tom is someone I have big plans for.

 _ **dyingonmyknees-**_ Third comment to mention my grammar. I guess it wasn't that bad though if you still called it entertaining. I agree that a lot of characters still have their mystery and that's good. I can't give away too much in the beginning. There are several plotlines to unfold and several characters to develop. The mysteries are just starting. Glad to see you like how Aiden is being written. I'm having fun with the cowboy aspect of him and I just hope I can handle the villain aspect of him when that inevitably comes up.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ Glad to see I'm doing a good job with Anthony and glad that you enjoy plenty of characters. I will say Zelda and Anthony do have a lot of interactions planned, mostly because they're both the "geniuses" of the team. What will happen beyond that though you just have to wait and find out.

 _ **Eternal Nexus Warrior-**_ Good to know that you enjoyed the chapter. I did get your PM suggestion about eliminating people, and while I honestly appreciate the suggestion I think it's best if I handle the eliminations myself. I already have some plots planned out and certain eliminations need to happen in a certain order for them. I do appreciate the suggestion though. Maybe in a future fic I'll use it.

 _ **xXKuroCat-Nanami-**_ Fourth comment to mention my grammar. At least I was able to go a good job with writing AJ. You like quite a lot of characters so hopefully that means I am doing a good job in writing them out. AJ is an OC who like I said earlier does have a lot planned. You'll have to wait and see what these plans are, but I hope you are pleased with them in the end.

 _ **ThorBringsTheThunder-**_ Fifth comment to mention my grammar. To be honest I wasn't expecting to have the first chapter out so fast either. I just started writing though and the ideas kept on pouring out. Glad you liked Gonzo and Maddie together. I knew those two would create some beautiful chaos together. Now let's just see how their team responds to that chaos.

 _ **Jade's One of a Kind-**_ Sixth and final comment to mention my grammar. Six out of twelve comments mentioned my grammar so it's clear I need to work on that. I'm glad I was able to make the introduction chapter not so much of a chore to read. I always hate introductions since they're kinda boring, but I guess I made this one fun. Good to know you enjoy a lot of different aspects of the chapter. There's a lot of humor to be had with how these characters all interact together. You mentioned a lot of the girls were quiet, and it's true a lot of the quiet and shy girls ended up on the same team. I guess Maddie and Ciara will have to fix that one way or another. As for Cliff, let me say he will be in the background for the first few chapters. Not because he's a background character, but because he's sticking to observing for now. Him and Tom are both the "villians" of their team so they both have to observe how to be villainous without losing trust of their team. Of course just because he's in the background doesn't mean he won't have some good moments. Hope you enjoy what's coming up.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. We were introduced to the 24 teens that will be competing on this season of Total Drama. Some were shy, some were cocky, and some were probably clinically insane. Once everyone arrived we introduced them to the first annual Total Drama Ball. The ball turned out to be a bomb... literally. What will our contestants do now than they're trapped inside a mansion with bombs going off? What will their first challenge end up being? Who will be the sad sucker voted off first? Find out all this and more right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

( **You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

Inside of the ballroom the contestants were having various reactions to the bombs. While some were staying calm, the majority were panicking.

"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" Nadine yelled frantically as more bombs went off throughout the mansion.

"Calm down will ya. Ain't no way Chris would risk all our lives. No contestants means no show for him." Aiden told her trying to calm her down.

"Southern boy is right. Besides, as if Chris would dare injure me, Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire." Genevieve said before taking a seat.

"Do you have to say your full name every time princess?" Miriam asked Genevieve. "It's getting annoying." She complained.

Genevieve was about to say something back to Miriam, however everyone soon noticed that the bombs seemed to have stopped going off. Suddenly the projector in the center of the room turned on, and an image of Chris appeared on the wall.

"Welcome everyone to your first challenge!" Chris said.

"Hey McLean what was up with all those bombs?" Clifford asked him.

"Just so you know this is just a recording, so I can't answer that question." The recording of Chris said.

"Wait if it's a recording how did you know someone would ask a question?" Zelda asked the recording of Chris.

"I've been doing this for years. It was obvious someone would ask a question." Chris said laughing. "Now then onto the challenge. As you know we just had several bombs go off. Those were all throughout the mansion except for in this ballroom. Your challenge is to find a way out of the mansion then race back to camp. First team back wins the challenge. Losing team goes down to 11. By the way, you might want to make it back by sundown. The rest of the bombs in there are set to go off when the sun sets, and I'd recommend not to still be inside when they do." The recording said before turning off.

"Well I guess it's every team for themselves now." Clifford said. The contestants separated into their two teams and each team went a separate way.

"Getting out of here shouldn't be too hard. Chris must be losing his touch." Koh said condescendingly.

She opened the ballroom door only to find that the bombs had sealed off the entrances and exits of the mansion with rubble.

"Sure real easy Koh." Wallace said looking at her angrily.

Koh glared at Wallace and started looking around the hallway. She then noticed a nearby bathroom and walked toward it.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

Koh took a seat and used one of the cameras inside of there as her confessional.

"Chris didn't set up a confessional, so I guess this bathroom will have to do for now." Koh said annoyed. "My team looks like it's going to be a mess. I'm stuck with a bratty rich girl, a cowboy, an accused murderer, a party girl, and a girl who can't even stand up to her brother. I've only got one goal here and the sooner I accomplish it, the sooner I can leave." Koh complained.

 **(Confessional End)**

Koh walked out of the bathroom after her confessional and saw that her teammates were just staring at her.

"What was that all about?" Sarah asked Koh.

"The confessional is usually in the bathroom anyway." Koh answered dully.

They continued to look around hoping to find some way out of the mansion before sundown.

"Hey guys why don't we just break the windows?" Johnathan asked noticing that the windows weren't covered up.

"It won't work." Genevieve told him. "Take it from someone who's lived in places far better than this one. Once the bombs went off the emergency security system went off. You try to go out those windows and you'll end up zapped by lasers." She explained. This however gave Zelda an idea.

"Genevieve if you know where the security system is, then I can shut it down, and we can use the windows after all." Zelda told her. Genevieve glared at Zelda in response.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"If that little nobody thinks she can upstage me again she has another thing coming." Genevieve said angrily while clenching her hand in a fist.

 **(Confessional End)**

"I don't need your help I can figure out the system myself." Genevieve told Zelda.

"It'll be faster if you take me. I'm good at working with computers, so decoding the system shouldn't be too hard." Zelda told her grabbing her shoulder.

Genevieve angrily slapped Zelda's hand away not wanting it near her. Zelda looked shocked at first, but then shoved Genevieve in response. The two glared at each other fiercely. Aiden rushed in between them before the fight could escalate.

"Listen ladies there ain't time for y'all to keep on tusslin'." He said. "Koh can you take charge of them two an' go shut that thing off?" He asked Koh. Koh sighed but decided to agree.

"Alright I'll take them to the security system, but you keep looking for another way out. Who knows what the other team has come up with." Koh said before following Genevieve to where the security system would be stored.

Speaking of the other team they were having difficulty coming up with any ways to get out themselves.

"This challenge is impossible. There's no way out of here." Brett said sitting down on a nearby chair. As he sat down his arm sleeves, which were already ripping, completely tore off.

"We should probably get out of here before Muscles ruins anymore of his suit." Tom said.

"I have an idea. Why don't we just find one of the bombs Chris hasn't used yet and use it ourselves to escape." Gonzo said eager to blow something up.

"Are you crazy!?" Wait I already know the answer to that! Yes you are!" Dante yelled at him.

"Now hold on a minute." Clifford said trying to calm Dante down. "I agree it sounds crazy but it could work. It's better than just standing around here." He said.

"I don't know Cliff. You really think we can trust the guy who was exploding toilets earlier." Maximilian said unsure.

Suddenly, remembering that they had blown up toilets earlier Maddie got an idea. She ran over to AJ, Kyoko, and Nicky eagerly.

"Girls I need you three to come with me. I've got a way to get us four out, but it'll only work for the four of us." Maddie said jumping up and down in excitement. The other three girls looked a bit unsure.

"Sh-should we g-go with her?" AJ asked the rest of the team.

"If she has a way to get you out, then I'd say go for it." Tom told her. "Just be safe okay." He added smiling. AJ looked away from Tom to hide the fact she was blushing. The three of them went off to follow Maddie hoping her idea was good.

"If they're not sticking around for the dumb bomb idea neither am I." Dante heading out of the room they were in.

"I'll go with you. I don't really like the bomb idea either." Maximilian said following Dante.

"No!" Dante yelled at him. Maximilian however just ignored him and followed anyway.

"Wait up I'll go too." Ciara said.

"No!" Dante yelled again but just like Maximilian, Ciara ignored him.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Great I'm stuck with two tag alongs. One that wants to flirt with me and the other who wants to flirt with my sister." Dante complained.

 **(Switch)**

"I know Dante doesn't make a lot of guy friends. He's a bit paranoid about them getting close to his sister. Luckily that won't be a problem with me." Maximilian said smiling.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Alright now that it's just us let's go ahead and find that bomb." Gonzo said excitedly to the remaining members.

Inside of his private area Chris and Chef are watching the contestants on their monitor.

"Chris are you really gonna let them use one of your bombs?" Chef asked him. Chris laughed in response.

"Just think of the ratings. Especially if one of them gets hurt. Too bad that won't happen though, not while they have an explosive nutcase like Gonzo." Chris said.

The two of them got back to watching the contestants. Back with the first team, they were arguing about whether or not to split up.

"It's better if we stick together. Once Zelda and Genevieve shut off the security system, then we'll all be able leave together." Sarah said.

"We're wasting time by sticking together. It's not just about getting out. Don't forget we also have to race back to camp." Miriam argued.

"But nine heads are better than one don't you think?" Nadine asked Miriam.

"Listen y'all I agree we can think better if we're a group, but times a tickin'. Sticking together ain't a luxury we can afford right now." Aiden said.

"I'm glad someone else is logical here. Now then anyone who wants to follow me can. The rest feel free to wait around on princess." Miriam said before walking away. Aiden, Johnathan, and Lucy followed her.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It's clear I'm going to have to take leadership of this group from now on, otherwise we won't get anything done." Miriam said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Okay so it's just us five left. What should we do?" Sarah asked those that remained.

"Well if we're not sticking together anymore then I'm leaving." Wallace said. He was about to walk away when Sarah moved in front of him to stop him.

"And where do you think you're going? If you wanted to leave you should've gone off with Miriam." She told him.

"I already told you I don't trust anyone here. I can get out of this place myself." Wallace said. He shoved past Sarah and left on his own to explore other areas of the mansion.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Some people think I'm paranoid, but I know it's only a matter of time before they all turn on me. That's why I'm not giving them a chance to get close. Luckily I have enough skills to handle myself, and I've learned to be prepared for anything." Wallace said.

 **(Switch)**

"Wallace mentioned he didn't trust people, but I though he at least got along with Anthony and me. Hopefully he learns to work with the team sooner rather than later." Sarah said looking worried.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Let's not waste time going after him. Instead we should focus on finding out a backup plan out of here." Kyle said noticing that Sarah and Anthony were distracted with Wallace leaving.

"Anthony do you perhaps have an invention that may help?" Nadine asked Anthony. Anthony thought for a moment then looked around his surroundings.

"There's a lot of rubble everywhere. Most of it is too heavy to lift, but I think I can build a small crane to help us lift it." He said having examined what he could use.

"Alright then. Just tell us what you need us to do." Sarah said focusing back on the group.

"I just need some basic materials to make the crane. We should be able to find it all here. Give me a minute to make a list of what I need." Anthony said.

"This is perfect. Now even if Genevieve and Zelda can't turn off the security we still have a plan to get out." Sarah said confidently.

Speaking of Genevieve and Zelda. The two were not making good progress, much to the frustration of Koh.

"Will you please hurry it up. You're walking so slow." Koh complained to Genevieve.

"Excuse me but I can only move so quickly without damaging my designer heels." Genevieve told her.

"I'm wearing heels too you know." Koh responded rolling her eyes.

"True, but yours didn't cost nearly as much as mine." Genevieve said mockingly.

"Genevieve please the sooner we get to the security system the sooner we can go to the cabins and change." Zelda said. Genevieve glared at Zelda again.

"Very well, but just remember you wouldn't even know about the security system were it not for me." Genevieve said speeding up very slightly.

"This is going to be a long game with her around." Koh complained. Zelda softly giggled.

"True our team is a bit of a mess, but I don't know if the other team is any better. I feel bad for them, since they have more guys and my brother." Zelda said.

"Your brother likes to be the alpha male doesn't he?" Koh asked Zelda.

"It's not really that. Dante just sees every guy as someone who'll inevitably flirt with me." Zelda explained.

"Look your brother has issues, but this is your fault too. You need to assert yourself. Tell him you'll have a boyfriend if you want one. Don't let him control you." Koh told her. Zelda looked away slightly embarrassed.

"Come on you two we're almost there. It's just past this bomb shelter." Genevieve told them.

Hearing that they were by a bomb shelter Zelda got an idea. She took off her gloves then placed one outside the bomb shelter and the other inside.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"If I know Dante he's already left his team to try to find me. At least now I led him right into a bomb shelter. That way he'll be safe, even if he's not out by sundown." Zelda explained.

 **(Confessional End)**

Zelda's intuition was of course correct and Dante was looking for her rather than a way out.

"Dante we've been wandering the mansion for some time. You almost got an idea how to get out?" Maximilian asked him.

"You want the truth I don't care about getting out yet. I've got to make sure Zelda's safe first." Dante told him bluntly. He kept walking but Maximilian and Ciara blocked his path.

"You mean you haven't even tried to find a way out?" Maximilian asked him shocked.

"Nope don't care. I told you two not to follow me." Dante said pushing past them. Ciara ran up and grabbed his hand gently.

"If you come with me Dante I'm sure you'll forget about your sister in no time." She said flirtatiously. Dante angrily shoved her off him and pushed her to the floor before he kept walking.

"Why don't you shut up and leave me alone tramp." Dante yelled out as he kept walking. Maximilian helped Ciara up, then ran to catch up with Dante.

"Dude that was too far. Sure Ciara's flirting can be a bit excessive, but she didn't deserve that." Maximilian told him. Dante ignored him and kept walking. Ciara caught up with the two of them, though her shoulder was a bit sore from the fall.

"Tell me why should I care about what you have to say?" Dante asked Maximilian after a while of walking in silence.

"Look I don't like to make a lot of enemies, but you're being a major jerk for no reason." Maximilian told Dante. Dante stopped immediately and turned to Maximilian.

"I don't care what you or anyone else thinks of me! I'm doing what I have to so that Zelda is safe from creeps like you!" Dante yelled at him. Both Maximilian and Ciara immediately started laughing at this. "What's so funny?!" Dante growled.

"What's so funny is he isn't into girls, yet you're worried about him flirting with your sister." Ciara said still laughing at the irony.

"It's true you don't have to worry about your sister with me." Maximilian said also laughing.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Usually people assume I'm gay because of how I look and talk. That typically bothers me, but I can't believe Dante didn't know." Maximilian said still laughing.

 **(Confessional End)**

Dante was left completely shocked and speechless. He wasn't sure how to respond or what to say. He started to walk again in silence while Maximilian and Ciara kept laughing. As they kept walking Dante suddenly saw one of the gloves Zelda had left behind and ran over to it.

"What are her gloves doing here?" Dante asked seeing them.

"Maybe your worst fear came true and she forgot to clean up afterward." Ciara suggested. Dante turned to glare at her, but turned away seeing her shoulder was red.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Okay so maybe I was little too harsh towards her. I can't control my own strength whenever I'm frustrated." Dante said looking down regretfully.

 **(Confessional End)**

"This looks like a bomb shelter." Maximilian said looking throughout it.

"Let's look around. There's got to be a reason Zelda left these here." Dante said putting her gloves into his pocket. The three proceeded to look around the bomb shelter.

Back with Maddie and the other girls, Maddie had led them to the bathroom that her and Gonzo were blowing up earlier.

"So Maddie what's your idea?" Nicky asked Maddie once they arrived.

"Okay. Before everyone came to the ball Gonzo and I were bored so we decided to blow some stuff up. That, along with all the bombs Chris set off earlier have given us a way out of here." Maddie told them. The other girls just looked at her confused.

"Will you just please tell us how we're getting out of here?" Kyoko asked getting a bit frustrated.

"Okay." Maddie said. She kicked the barely standing toilet over and revealed a large hole. "If we go through here it'll lead us to the beach. From there we can go back to the cabin." Maddie explained to them. The other girls were of course a little disgusted by her idea.

"If this hole was connected to the toilet doesn't that make it a sewer pipe?" Nicky asked Maddie.

"I guess so, but this is the easiest way out of here. Who cares." Maddie said calmly. The other girls though screamed out in disgust at her suggestion.

"You want us to crawl through a sewer. That's disgusting!" Kyoko screamed.

"It d-doesn't sound very healthy either." AJ said. Maddie shrugged then jumped into the hole.

"It's clean in here. Nobody's ever used that toilet." She yelled up to the three of them. They looked at each other then reluctantly went inside.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Clean or not going through a sewer is disgusting. We barely even fit inside of it." Kyoko complained.

 **(Switch)**

"Maddie's plan was really unconventional but I guess it worked. Perhaps she's not as crazy as everyone assumes." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The girls continued walking through the pipe. It was difficult to see but luckily Maddie took a flashlight.

"How much longer do you think we'll have to walk?" Nicky asked Maddie.

"It shouldn't be much longer. Once we see light that'll take us to the beach. Then getting to camp will be easy." Maddie answered.

"D-do you think the rest of our team will m-make it out?" AJ asked them.

"I'm sure Gonzo's plan will work. This is just faster for us since we're the only ones who fit here." Maddie said.

"You and Gonzo sure get along well don't you?" Kyoko asked Maddie.

"Sure. Same as you and Clifford, or AJ and Tom." Maddie said. AJ hid her blush at this remark.

"Our team is pretty great isn't it?" Nicky asked. "I can't think of anyone I dislike." She said.

"I don't know about that. Dante seems like a jerk." Maddie said.

"He's just looking out for his sister. I have plenty of siblings, and even though they like to tease me for being small I know we have each other's back." Nicky said.

"Are all older siblings that bad?" Maddie asked.

"That's the worst part. I'm the older sister but since I'm small they treat me like I'm younger." Nicky said. Maddie gave Nicky a hug.

"Hey look on the bright side. If you weren't so small you couldn't fit into this pipe with us." Maddie told her.

"Look there's the beach. We made it out." Kyoko said once the beach was in sight of them.

The girls exited from the pipe and jumped onto the beach. From there, they ran to the camp where Chris was waiting and they were the first to arrive.

"Congrats to Maddie, Kyoko, Kitty, and AJ. You four are the first to arrive. Who would've thought the smallest contestants would be the first to finish." Chris announced.

"W-were first!" AJ yelled out happily. The four girls hugged each other then headed inside their cabin to change.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I can't believe we finished first. Maddie is a genius." AJ said excitedly"

 **(Switch)**

"Looks like being small has it's advantages. Emily, Nicole, I hope you saw that." Nicky said referring to her younger sisters.

 **(Switch)**

"I can't take all the credit for that plan. Gonzo made a part in helping it work. The other girls were fun to work with especially once they stopped complaining, so I can't wait to work with them more in the future." Maddie said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Inside the mansion several people were starting to get frustrated that they were still stuck inside.

"This challenge is rigged. We've been through the entire mansion and nothing." Miriam complained.

"There is one place we haven't tried looking for." Lucy said.

"Well where would that be?" Miriam asked her.

"This place has two floors. We've only looked on the first floor." Lucy pointed out.

"Hate to break it to you, but the second floor is a little inaccessible." Aiden said.

"Not quite. Come with me." Lucy said. She led them to a nearby staircase that was covered in rubble from the explosions.

"See it's like Aiden said. The second floor is inaccessible." Miriam told Lucy.

"It looks that way, but it we stack onto each other I think we can climb up to the second floor." Lucy replied.

"That sounds like an awesome plan." Johnathan said eagerly.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Stacking onto each other seemed like a crazy idea, but I guess it was better than more wandering around." Miriam said.

 **(Confessional End)**

After a bit of struggling the four of them quickly managed to gather themselves together. Johnathan was at the bottom of the stack, he was holding up Aiden, Aiden held Miriam, and Miriam held up Lucy. Once Lucy was able to pull herself onto the second floor she started pulling the other three up as well until they all managed to get up there.

"Alright let's see what this floor has to offer." Johnathan said. They started wandering around the second floor hoping to find something.

"That was a pretty good idea." Miriam told Lucy.

"I've got to know. Is what Chris said true? About you being arrested?" Johnathan asked Lucy.

"Come on Johnny you can't ask the lady that. It's personal." Aiden told Johnathan. Lucy shrugged as a response.

"It's alright Aiden it was a long time ago. Besides it's not like I actually did anything I was just accused with led to an arrest until my trial." Lucy said nonchalantly.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It's not like I care about what happened, and it's not every day you meet someone accused of murder. Why wouldn't I say anything." Lucy said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"It looks like the second floor ain't much better." Aiden said after they had been walking for a bit.

"So we spent time coming up here for nothing!" Miriam yelled irritated.

"Hold up Miriam. Look up there." Johnathan said. He pointed to a section of the roof that had collapsed from the explosions.

"Even if we can make it up there how will we get down?" Miriam asked.

"We can figure that out later. Come on. Same way we got up here." Johnathan said.

They prepared themselves to stack up similar to how they did before and climb onto the roof. Seeing as how they had already done it to get onto the second floor it was much easier this time around. Once on the rooftop they looked around for a way to get down and noticed a ladder on the side of the mansion.

"Why's there a ladder here?" Miriam asked.

"Maybe Chris figured someone would try to use the rooftop to get out." Johnathan suggested.

"Maybe. Or maybe it's just a coincidence. Personally I ain't gonna question it." Aiden said climbing down the ladder. Lucy went down second and Johnathan went third. When Johnathan climbed down however, the ladder broke.

"Nice job now how will I get down?" Miriam asked him angrily.

"It was an old ladder. It would've broken anyway. Just jump. We'll catch you." Johnathan said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It's official. My team is full of lunatics." Miriam said dully.

 **(Confessional End)**

Miriam reluctantly jumped not wanting to be stuck on the roof. Johnathan attempted to catch her, but he missed and she landed on top of him instead.

"Thanks for crushing my fall since you can't catch." Miriam said getting up.

Lucy and Aiden laughed helping Johnathan up from the floor. The four of them ran to camp and were greeted by Chris.

"Four more have arrived, and the teams are now tied." Chris announced.

"You mean we're the first ones here?" Miriam asked Chris.

"From your team yes. Those four arrived a while ago." Chris said pointing over to the previous contestants who had previously arrived, and had changed back into their regular outfits.

"Great. The rest of our team better get here soon." Miriam said before leaving to change.

As for how the rest of her team was doing, progress was relatively slow. Specifically, Anthony's plan to make a crane that removes rubble was not working out well.

"Dang it! That's the fourth time I've built this thing and it's still not working." Anthony said frustrated with his crane.

"Maybe we should figure something else out." Kyle said seeing how Anthony's crane kept malfunctioning.

"I'm sure you can figure it out Anthony." Nadine said kindly.

"I'm glad you believe in me, but there's no way I can figure this out." Anthony said. He threw his current prototype crane on the ground. Sarah went over to pick it up and to see if she knew what was wrong.

"This is really light Anthony." Sarah told him.

"Yeah I made it light so that we wouldn't get tired lifting rubble." Anthony told her.

"Well there's your problem Anthony. You made it too light, and now the weight isn't counterbalanced. That's why it keeps breaking." Sarah told him.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I feel like such an idiot. How could I forget about counterbalancing. At least Sarah was able to catch that detail." Anthony said.

 **(Switch)**

"I'm sure it was just the frustration that messed Anthony up. His crane was really well made, just one minor detail was wrong." Sarah said.

 **(Confessional End)**

With Sarah helping Anthony to counterbalance his crane soon the two of them got it working unfortunately because they made it heavier it was also slower to pick up the rubble blocking the main entrance.

"I hate to complain, but this is taking too long." Kyle said.

"I know it is, but what else can we do." Kyle said. Nadine looked toward the rubble and got an idea.

"Anthony do you think it would be possible to make one of these cranes for each of us?" Nadine asked. "That way we can clean up the mess four times as fast." She said. Anthony thought about her question for a moment.

"If Sarah is helping me then it shouldn't be too much of a problem." He answered.

The two of them got to work on making new cranes for the others to use. Once each person had their own crane, they were able to pick up the rubble very quickly and open the front door. From there they ran to the camp.

"Good inventing Anthony." Chris told them once they arrived.

"Couldn't have done it without Sarah's help." He said smiling.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Our team is filled with a lot of bright minds. Zelda is a certified genius, and Sarah's proven she's quite intuitive as well." Anthony said glad he had other intellectuals on his team.

 **(Confessional End)**

While half of the contestants were now outside of the mansion, many were still stuck inside and sunset was quickly approaching.

"Dante we've searched everything in this bomb shelter it's time to leave." Maximilian told Dante.

"We can't leave. Not until I figure out what Zelda's gloves are doing here." He said.

Dante punched a nearby wall in frustration only to injure his hand. Ciara went over to him and started wrapping his hand with some gauze she had found while looking for an ice pack for her shoulder.

"It's a good thing I had this with me. You'd better be more careful." Ciara told him once his hand was wrapped up.

"Thanks... I'm sorry about your shoulder." Dante said awkwardly.

"It's alright, it's not that sore anymore. If you want though you can make me sore elsewhere." Ciara said trying to flirt again.

"Look I'm sorry I hurt you, but just stop okay." Dante told her.

"Hey it was worth a shot." Ciara said laughing.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Okay so Dante isn't my soul mate who'll laugh at all my jokes, but he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy anymore." Ciara said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"I'm glad you two are getting along, but we're still in a challenge you know." Maximilian said getting in between them.

"Zelda led us here for a reason. We need to figure out what it is." Dante said as he kept looking around.

"It's a bomb shelter Dante I don't think we'll find anything useful in here for getting out." Maximilian told him.

"Let's just look a little longer. Please." Dante begged.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm not usually one to beg. I usually take what I want, but I do feel bad about how I treated those two. Neither of them are a threat to Zelda's safety, so I had no reason to act how I did." Dante said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well if we're going to be stuck here any longer, then let me at least get rid of some the pictures Chris has of himself." Ciara said.

She removed a picture of Chris from the wall, but upon grabbing it a trap door opened under them. The three of them fell into the trap which led them on a slide downward. From there they were taken on an inside ride until they landed on the beach.

"What was that?" Maximilian asked disoriented from the trap door slide.

"I guess Chris installed a trap door leading to the beach in case anyone tried to remove his picture." Ciara said dizzy herself.

"Zelda must have known about that and left her gloves so we'd find it." Dante said.

The three of them headed to the camp after having recovered from the dizziness of the trap door. When they arrived Dante freaked out noticing Zelda was not there yet.

"Where's Zelda?" Dante asked Chris angrily.

"Still inside the mansion. Anyone inside better hurry because the sun seems to be about ready to set." Chris said laughing.

Dante pulled one of Zelda's gloves out of his pocket and looked at it worried.

"She'll make it out. She's a smart girl." Maximilian told Dante. He put his arm on Dante's shoulder reassuringly and Ciara did the same.

"Thanks you two, and I'm really sorry about how I acted. It's just frustrating not being on her team to protect her." Dante said. He left to get changed, but made sure to return quickly in case Zelda showed up.

As for where Zelda was, she was close to reaching the security system. The problem however, was that Genevieve was being difficult again.

"I don't see why you have to be the one to shut the system off. I'm more than capable of doing it." Genevieve complained.

"For the last time Genevieve I'm not doubting your ability it's just faster if I do it." Zelda told her.

"I'm tired of both of you. Can you just shut up and get this over with." Koh yelled at both of them.

They kept walking and finally arrived to where Genevieve said the security system would be located. Once there they saw the main control panel.

"This is quite the complicated system. It will take some time. I'd say about 30 minutes to disable it." Zelda said looking it over.

"A half an hour. Do we even have enough time before the bombs go off?" Koh asked.

"I don't think so. That's why I need to handle this." Genevieve said. She pushed Zelda away from the control panel and started to mess with it.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Zelda asked Genevieve. "One wrong move and you could set everything off, or worse you could activate the other bombs Chris has." She yelled out.

"I don't need you to keep upstaging me. I grew up in a mansion far better than this dump. I have a security system that'll make this look like a piece of junk." Genevieve said.

"That doesn't mean you know how the system works. You don't know what you're messing with." Zelda said pushing Genevieve away from the controls.

The two started fighting in front of the control system. Koh moved to push the two away from each other, but they were deep in their fight.

"We don't have time for your stupid fight." Koh yelled at them.

Genevieve saw a nearby hammer and ran toward Zelda with it. When Zelda moved out of the way Genevieve ended up smashing the controls.

"Are you insane! What is wrong with you!" Zelda yelled at her. Genevieve rolled her eyes in response.

"I knew you would move out of the way. I'm not an idiot like you think I am. When my father had our security system installed the tech person said to simply break it if it ever malfunctioned." Genevieve explained to Zelda.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Honestly they all think I'm an idiot just because I'm rich. It's going to be a lot of fun proving them wrong. Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire is not someone to mess with." Genevieve said fixing her nails.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Genevieve this thing wasn't malfunctioning. It was working perfectly. Breaking it didn't shut it down." Zelda said rubbing her forehead in desperation.

"So we're stuck here then?" Koh asked Zelda.

"Maybe. There's about a 50% chance that her ridiculous plan worked. No real way of safely testing it though." Zelda said.

Koh looked around and saw a nearby window. Without warning she broke it open and shoved Genevieve out of it. When the security system didn't zap Genevieve she figured it was safe to leave herself.

"Good news Genevieve you're stupidity paid off this time." Koh said. Once they all climbed out of the window they made it to the camp.

"Another four arrive as our time reaches it's final moments." Chris said. Dante ran past Chris and hugged Zelda.

"I found your gloves. It's how we got out." He told her holding back tears of joy.

"I knew you would." Zelda said smiling. What she didn't notice was Koh scowling.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm going to have to keep an eye on her. With her brother on the other team she might be helping them out." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"So, how much trouble were those two? Aiden asked Koh.

"Trust me cowboy you don't want to know." Koh said.

"They only need one more person. Where's the rest of our team?" Maximilian asked worried.

"Relax I know Gonzo's plan will work." Maddie told him.

Gonzo's idea might have been a good one, but they were having difficulties actually locating a bomb for it.

"I'm starting to think that I should've gone with Dante." Tom said.

"Why so he can keep yelling at you about his sister?" Clifford rhetorically asked him. "I trust Gonzo's plan." He said.

"We'll we've been here for hours. Sunset isn't far away, and I like living." Tom said.

"If we can't find one of the bombs Chris has then we'll just have to make one." Gonzo said.

"You know how to make a bomb?" Kai asked him.

"It's easy. You can Google how to do it." Gonzo told him.

"Doesn't that put you on a watch list though?" Tom asked him.

"Not when you use the library to do it." Gonzo said laughing.

"Alright then let's do this." Brett said putting his fist in the air eagerly. When he did though the last button on his suit ripped off along with a few of his shirt buttons.

They started gathering few of the materials that Gonzo needed to make his bomb. Kai found a first aid kit in one of the bathrooms that luckily had rubbing alcohol. Brett grabbed his suit sleeves along with some other parts of his shirt that had ripped off for cloth. Clifford picked up some nearby rubble that could be used to make a spark. Tom found some residual gunpowder from the previous explosions and gathered it into a jar. Gonzo took all they had gathered along with a few personal items of his own to make the bomb.

"That's our bomb?" Kai asked looking unsure.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I don't want to doubt Gonzo since he's the expert, but that didn't look like it'd be able to blow a hole in the wall." Kai said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"The biggest bangs often come in the smallest packages." Gonzo said. Everyone stepped back and Gonzo excitedly pressed the trigger. To the surprise of everyone it was quite the explosion and managed to make their exit hole.

"Woohoo! That was awesome!" Gonzo yelled running out of the hole.

"I guess I was wrong to doubt you." Tom admitted.

"You should know I never doubted you for a minute. You're awesome man." Clifford said giving Gonzo a pat on the back.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"To be honest I wasn't sure Gonzo could pull that off, but it's important I get his trust. Gonzo is insanely close to Maddie, and it's clear she's the leader of the girls since the others are so shy. If I get Gonzo to vote with me, then I get Maddie to vote with me, and if I get Maddie to vote with me then the other girls will give me a majority vote." Clifford said maliciously.

 **(Switch)**

"You know that's the first time anyone's been happy I've blown something up. I'm glad Clifford appreciates my skills." Gonzo said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Congratulations. You have officially won." Chris announced as they arrived.

"Hey Chris when are we getting our team names?" Miriam asked.

"I'm glad you mentioned that. I actually needed to know who would win before giving out the names. Winners you are now the Killer Hydra. Losers you get to enjoy being the Screaming Phoenix. Speaking of which, Screaming Phoenix have fun voting someone off tonight." Chris said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I knew we'd win. Our team seems much better organized compared to there's. Of course we got lucky Dante was away from the other guys. He might be cool with Ciara and I, but I know he's not going to work with them." Maximilian said.

 **(Switch)**

"I'm pretty sure Wallace is leaving tonight. I'll try my best to save him though. Miriam and Zelda hate Genevieve so maybe I can get rid of her. I'd much rather keep Wallace over Genevieve." Sarah said.

 **(Switch)**

"It's such a shame we have to vote someone off. I was barely getting to know everyone." Nadine said softly.

 **(Switch)**

"Chris thinks calling us a phoenix because we lost is demeaning. We'll he should've done his research. A phoenix might burn itself, but it's always reborn." Zelda said confidently.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Is Chris just going to leave Wallace inside of there when the bombs could go off any minute?" Sarah asked noticing it was sunset.

"I'd hate to say it, but it's kinda his own fault he's stuck there." Kyle pointed out. They all looked toward the mansion in the distance and saw it started collapsing.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It took a while but I'm finally fully prepared to get out. I have several mirrors to reflect the lasers, a grappling hook to quickly get out, a fist aid kit to treat any possible injures, some food in case I get hungry on the way out, and a radio in case I need to call for help." Wallace said showing off all he had gathered. "Worst case scenario I've examined this confessional. I know it'll withstand the bombs. Even if the bombs go off I'll be safe here." He said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Just as Wallace had said he was safe inside of the confessional and it was all that remained from the mansion. He stepped outside and saw everyone else was already outside.

"Well this is just perfect." He muttered to himself.

At the campfire ceremony Chris stood with only 11 marshmallow. All the members of the Screaming Phoenix were sitting down.

"Sorry Phoenix but it just isn't your day. The following players are safe with no vote." He said before pausing.

"Kyle." Kyle caught his marshmallow smiling.

"Nadine." Nadine clapped her hands in joy before catching her marshmallow.

"Anthony." Anthony looked over to Sarah and smiled as he got his.

"Sarah." Sarah smiled back at Anthony but looked concerned toward Wallace.

"Johnathan." He cheered and put his fist in the air grabbing his marshmallow.

"Lucy." Lucy closed her diary she was writing in to grab the marshmallow then went back to writing.

"Aiden." He tipped his hat catching his marshmallow.

"Koh." She got hers without much care.

"Miriam." Miriam looked proud as he got hers.

"And Zelda." Zelda got hers happy to still be in the game.

"Genevieve, even though I think your the best contestant this show has had, the others don't like you. Wallace, you're the reason your team lost." Chris said. Genevieve looked at her nails uninterested, while Wallace looked paranoid. "It was close, but the person going home with seven votes is

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Wallace." Chris said. Genevieve glared at those who tried to get rid of her after getting her marshmallow.

"I knew you'd all turn on me the first chance you got." Wallace said bitterly. Sarah ran up to Wallace and slapped him hard.

"Nobody turned on you. In fact, I tried to save you. It almost worked but it didn't. Maybe that's a good thing if this is how you're acting." She said before walking away.

"Well Wallace feel proud knowing you're the first to try out our new elimination method." Chris said.

It showed Wallace strapped to a giant pendulum. It started swinging back and forth slowly before picking up speed. Once it had generated enough speed Chris pressed a button releasing Wallace and sending him off the Island.

"That was the Pendulum of Shame. Who'll be next to be swung off the island? Will the Screaming Phoenix rise from the ashes or will they be devoured by the Killer Hydra? Will Dante learn to control his anger better? Will Genevieve stop getting unnecessary hate? Find out all this and more next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Brett, Kai, Clifford, Maddie, Gonzo, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, AJ, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Kyle, Johnathan, Nadine, Sarah, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, and Zelda

 **Apology to** **keyblademaster avenger for Wallace being eliminated. He seemed like an obvious first out given that his main character trait is being paranoid of other people and Total Drama is a big team game. There was initially a larger section of this chapter showing Wallace's skills at** **preparing** **by having his gather all his equipment, but it was** **unfortunately** **scrapped due to how long it would've made the chapter. while Wallace is prepared for almost everything, it was inevitable that he would be the first one gone. I hope you enjoy how I** **portrayed** **him, and I hope you keep reading.** **Apologies** **to any Wallace fans as well.**

* * *

 **A/N: Hey everyone. Crazy that it's been a whole month since the last upload. Don't worry it won't always take a month for me to write a new chapter. My goal is to have one out every week, but that's the ideal goal. Realistically it'll probably be a new chapter every two weeks. I also don't have a word length I try to reach. I just write until I'm satisfied with the chapter. I may occasionally remove things if I feel they unnecessarily slow down the chapter flow or make it unnecessarily long, but just know not every chapter will be this long. I imagine as I get less characters the chapters will inevitably become slightly shorter. Now as for why this particular chapter took a month, I have three main reasons. The first is a new job that I recently applied to. While I haven't been officially hired, I have been undergoing training for it. Secondly, I spent the last week and a half working on a future Total Drama story. I won't say anything about it, and I won't start it until around November, but I hope you all enjoy it when the time comes. Finally this chapter took so long because I tried my hardest to proofread it. The biggest criticism I received last time was that my grammar needed work. I'll admit I always get nervous adding commas into my writing because I feel I end up using too many. I had a lot this chapter so let me know if my grammar is better, or if adding excessive commas made it worse. Another thing I want to talk about is the team names. I got a lot of amazing team names, and it sucks I can only pick two. Eventually I went with these team names as the theme of the season is Rebirth. A Phoenix dies as it is reborn, and a Hydra grows two heads when one is cut off. The screaming and killer part were just a throwback to season 1 since this is Wawanakwa II. Thanks to Eternos137 for coming up with the Phoenix name, NostalgiaMaster1996 for coming up with the Hydra name, and JerryDaHorse for requesting I use screaming and killer in the team names. It is thanks to these three individuals we have our team names. As always I'm open to all criticism, whether it be how I'm writing your OC, how I'm writing in general, or how I'm managing the characters. I also am open to ideas whether they be challenges or story ideas. Let me know what you thought of the challenge, characters, and elimination as well as any criticism. I will respond to the comments at the beginning as you saw here since I feel its only fair I respond to what you have to say.**


	7. Ain't got no Talent Show

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Glad you enjoyed the chapter. You don't have to worry about Koh too much these first few chapters since I do have something planned. Then again you never really know when it's going to be their time to go.

 _ **ThorBringsTheThunder-**_ Hope you enjoyed your fishing trip. Sounds like fun. Glad to see I'm doing a good job with Gonzo, and glad to see my grammar improved. I tried not to make Wallace going home too predictable, but the first few eliminations are always rather easy to figure out. As for Genevieve not throwing a pity vote, that would be in character for her, but she's smarter than people think. She knows she is going to get votes because of her attitude so she's not wasting any until she feels confident she's safe. After that then she'll be able to target her enemies such as Koh, Zelda, and Miriam.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ Don't worry too much about the accidental guest review. It's fine. Splitting dialogue between 24 contestants was really hard so sorry that some didn't have as much to do or say compared to others. I'm trying not to have some characters overshadow others since everyone has a role I want them to play. Still though it'll probably become easy really soon who the "main characters" are because I just accidentally give them so much screen time. I will be doing throwback challenges with a twist so I hope you enjoy that.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ Sorry if you liked Wallace, but at least you understand. The point of explaining why I eliminate people is not only for the person who created the OC, but also for those who are fans of the OC. Glad you liked the challenge.

 _ **keyblademaster avenger-**_ Thanks for being understanding about Wallace being first out. I liked him, but being as paranoid as he is didn't leave much room for him to stay. You're right though, maybe he can make some friends now that he's eliminated. Sarah was close to befriending him so he's not completely unlikable.

 _ **t20n00-**_ Glad to know the wait didn't disappoint. Yeah jobs aren't fun, but we kinda need them to get around and provide for ourselves. Gotta make your way up in the world somehow. Glad to my grammar is doing better and sorry about the team names. There were so many that it was just hard to pick. These I think capture the seasonal them best though. I'll keep your suggestions as well as others in mind if I write more seasons or stories in the future. I agree with you that there wasn't a sense of danger. When writing I thought the bombs would be enough, but in retrospect they were a background detail not a constant threat. Traps would have been nice as well. It's reassuring to know that I am doing good with the pace of developing characters. I want to try and give everyone some memorable moment or detail before they are gone. It's interesting you compare Wallace to Shawn. I felt Wallace was like Shawn, but turned up to 11. While Shawn was paranoid because people could be zombies, Wallace was just paranoid of people themselves. Perhaps I could have done more with him, but I just didn't see any plot lines that I liked or thought would work out good. I am so glad you are liking how I am writing Tom. That is the best thing I can hear from the OC's creator. Nobody knows them better than the creator so if you say I'm doing good I'll take it to heart. Thanks especially for the lengthy review. I like all reviews, but you cover so many different aspect it really gives me a good sense of what I'm doing right and wrong.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Glad to see you're liking the characters and the story so far. I hope I can keep providing you with good quality chapters.

 _ **AZW330-**_ Another compliment for my grammar means I'm on the right track with taking care of that. Good to know things are flowing well. I tried to make this challenge come off as unique and original, given the mansion setting so I'm glad to hear that it worked to some extent. As for the whole chapter a week thing I know that's not really possible, and I will never force a chapter out. I might occasionally cut it a bit short, but that's only if It's been far to long or I am just unsure of how to keep going. I try to deliver content that I myself am satisfied with so you can all be satisfied with. Even if I personally don't like how I wrote something perhaps you the readers do, and that's what matters most. What the readers think. Glad you enjoy and thanks for the advice. I am a new writer so there's still a lot for me to figure out.

 _ **Eternal Nexus Warrior-**_ Good to see you are liking the Pendulum of Shame. Originally it was just going to be the Swing of Shame, but that sounded lame so I upgraded it to the Pendulum of Shame. Same basic concept but a lot cooler. 2 weeks is a good pace, now let's just see how I can manage while I adjust to my new job.

 _ **xXKuroCat-Nanami-**_ The conflict between Zelda and Genevieve was fun to write, so I am glad that you are having fun reading it. I'm glad you still liked Wallace despite his short time. That means I'm doing a good job as a writer. Overall glad you enjoyed the chapter.

 _ **dyingonmyknees-**_ Hey don't worry too much about the late review. If anything I should apologize for the late chapter. Glad to see that you found the challenge and the chapter entertaining. I'm glad to hear that the characters are standing out from each other. I know the main selling point of Total Drama is stereotypes, but even then the characters still have their own personality and charm. I'm hoping that readers will fall in love with these OCs even the ones who unfortunately don't get enough time to shine. As for Chris and Chef I admit I've been having a lot of difficulty with adding them into the story and making it feel natural. I want them to be a part of it since them torturing the teens is half the fun. I'll work on it the best I can until those two become natural, and hopefully it meets your expectations. Glad you're enjoying the story. _ **  
**_

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. Our 24 contestants had an explosive time during their first challenge. Some contestants took the time to get along, while others learned just how much they hate their teammates. In the end, paranoid Wallace was left unprepared for his own elimination. Who will be the next contestant to take a pendulum ride off the island? Find out right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

The sleeping arrangements for the teams were a bit difficult to figure out at first since the genders weren't evenly split. Eventually though everything worked itself out. The female Killer Hydra were set up with Ciara taking a top bunk over Nicky, Kyoko taking a top bunk over AJ, and Maddie having a bed to herself. As for their males, Brett had a top bunk over Kai, Clifford had a top bunk over Tom, Gonzo had a top bunk over Maximilian, and Dante had a bed to himself. The Screaming Phoenix males had Kyle on top bunk over Anthony, and Johnathan with a top bunk over Aiden. Their females had Sarah with a top bunk over Nadine, Koh with a top bunk over Miriam, Zelda with a top bunk over Lucy, and Genevieve with a bed to herself.

The contestants were all sleeping in their cabins. It was just past sunrise when they were woken up by an air horn coming through the loudspeaker.

"Hope everyone had a good sleep. Meet at the mess hall in ten minutes. You better hurry too because after those ten minutes are up Chef isn't serving any more breakfast." Chris sound over the loudspeaker. Several of the contestants groaned but quickly started to get ready.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Can you believe Chris is only giving us ten minutes to get ready. There's no way I can look perfect that quickly, but I knew I'd have to make some sacrifices coming here." Genevieve said annoyed at her short time limit.

 **(Switch)**

"I'm used to waking up early for my morning workout, but this is too much." Dante complained.

 **(Confessional End)**

Inside of the mess hall, the contestants were all in line getting their breakfast. Most were still very sleepy and dissatisfied with what they got. Ciara took a seat next to Tom who was writing rather than eating.

"So Tom I see you're a writer. Tell me have you ever written anything erotic?" Ciara asked him as she moved close to him.

"Ciara I think we can both agree it's too early for this." Tom said closing his notebook.

"Yeah you're right. That wasn't really a good line anyway." Ciara said.

She picked up her food tray and went over to sit with Maximilian and Dante.

"I figured you'd be sitting with your sister." Ciara told Dante.

"I wanted to, but she's with her team. If I stay to close to her some of her teammates might get worried she's working with us. Luckily I can see all four of the guys on her team from here, so they'll be smart not to try anything with her." Dante said.

Once everyone had finished getting their food and sitting with their teammates, there was still nobody willing to even try the food from how bad it appeared.

"I don't think this is healthy to eat." Tom said as he started poking at his food.

"We'll it's all we're getting. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea to make him mad." Clifford said pointing over at Chef who was just glaring at them.

"Let's try and look on the bright side. At least this will be good for our diets." Nadine said trying to stay positive about the poor food quality.

"Trust me when I say they serve better slop in prison." Koh said. Maddie ran over to her having gotten interested by this.

"Ooh that's so cool. I've gotten into some issues with the cops before, but I've never been in prison before. What's that like?" Maddie asked her eagerly.

"Chill out crazy. I haven't been to prison. I just now enough people who have." Koh said pushing Maddie away.

"You've gots quite the mysterious past don't ya?" Aiden asked Koh.

"Yeah and I'd like to keep it that way." Koh said glaring at Aiden. He simply smiled at her in response.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Koh is hiding something I'm sure of it. All ah gots to do is get on her good side to find out what that is." Aiden said.

 **(Confessional End)**

As the contestants continued to pick and whine about their food Chris finally arrived at the mess hall.

"Hey McLean why wake us up so early if you're going to take your sweet time getting here?" Dante yelled at Chris.

"It takes time for me to look this good." Chris answered back grinning at the camera.

"Well now that you're ready we'd like to move on to our challenge." Sarah said.

"I like the enthusiasm. Today will be a previous Total Drama challenge with a few new twists." Chris told them.

"Great, so which of your old challenges will you be rehashing?" Anthony asked Chris.

"I hope you guys are prepared because it's time to show what you've got. We're revisiting season one's talent challenge." Chris told them. Several of the contestants cheered at hearing this.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Alright just give me the victory today. There's never been a person able to outperform me." Miriam said psyching herself up for the challenge.

 **(Switch)**

"I'm ready to show the world my acting skills." Aiden said.

 **(Switch)**

"The world can finally witness the stellar glory that is Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire." Genevieve said admiring herself in the mirror.

 **(Switch)**

"Everyone's so excited for the talent contest, but I just hope I don't have to be on stage." AJ said nervously.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Here's the rules of the challenge. Each team will pick three members to perform. You'll have all day to practice. Here's what makes this challenge different from last time. Last time Chef was scoring. This time I'll be doing it. Also be careful who you send in. The losing team will only be able to vote for one of the three performers to send home." Chris explained. The contestants rushed out of the Mess Hall and got ready on picking their performers.

 **(Screaming Phoenix)**

"Okay, since we need to see everyone's talents quickly the most organized way to take care of this would be alphabetical order." Genevieve said immediately taking charge.

"Alright then. I guess I'm up." Aiden said. Genevieve glared at him.

"I know you're a country bumpkin, but clearly I go first." Genevieve said.

"In what alphabet does G go before A?" Sarah sarcastically asked.

"Are you all idiots? Is public education that bad?" Genevieve rudely asked them. Everyone just started at her confused. She sighed in frustration.

"Princess what are you talking about?" Miriam asked.

"Adelyn goes before Aiden. You know Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire ." Genevieve said putting extra emphasis on Adelyn.

"That's not how alphabetical order works. You can't just pick a random part of your name. It's either first or last for consistency." Sarah yelled at her.

"Look we aren't getting anywhere. Let's just let her go first then continue in order." Kyle said trying to move on with the auditions.

"At least someone here knows what they're doing. Now then I'll be performing an exquisite ballet routine." Genevieve said before beginning.

She got into first position to start before bending and leaping straight into her routine. Each jump and twirl was perfectly landed, and she had great flexibility with her legs. She stretched them up higher than seemed possible, creating a stunning visual effect. To finish up she took a final large jump, spun three times in the air, and landed in a perfect split position.

"Please save the applause for when we win." Genevieve said getting up and bowing.

"I definitely think you should be chosen." Nadine said.

"Hold on a minute. I don't think it's a good idea to have two dance performances, and I'm the dancer on this team." Miriam said.

Genevieve laughed before stepping in front of Miriam.

"Your street dance might entertain the riff raff at the club, but it can't compare to the elegance of my ballet." Genevieve said.

"Let's put it to a vote then. You all remember my dancing from the ball. It'll do way better than her girly routine." Miriam said confidently.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"First Zelda, now Miriam. When will these pathetic nobodies learn to stop trying to upstage me Genevieve Anastasia Brittany..." Genevieve said before the confessional camera cut her off.

 **(Confessional End)**

It was tense as the Screaming Phoenix prepared themselves to vote between Genevieve and Miriam. It was a close vote. Kyle, Nadine, Lucy, and surprisingly Zelda voted for Genevieve while Anthony, Sarah, Koh, and Johnathan voted for Miriam. The last vote would be Aiden's. After thinking it over for a while he decided to vote for Genevieve.

"Sorry Miriam. I think your dance is better, but ya never know what Chris is thinkin'. It's safer to send in Genevieve." Aiden explained.

"Hope you guys like losing again." Miriam said before storming off angrily.

"Let's keep going. Aiden it's your turn." Genevieve said ignoring Miriam leaving. What are you going to do? Twirl a lasso? "Wrangle a pig?" She asked him condescendingly.

"I had something else in mind. Allow me to act out a scene from one of my favorite plays." He said. Genevieve just laughed in response.

"Real hilarious. Maybe you should do comedy. Next up." Genevieve said mockingly. Aiden glared at her as he walked away.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I was mighty angry than Genevieve didn't let me perform. Bright side is if we lose she's gone." Aiden said.

 **(Switch)**

"Alright let's keep moving. Hopefully one of you has something worth demonstrating." Genevieve said.

 **(Killer Hydra)**

With the Killer Hydra things were going a lot more smoother. Not only did they not have do deal with a control freak like Genevieve, but they had ample talent to choose from.

"We've got this challenge easy. Our team has musicians, artists, writers, athletes, and eccentrics." Maddie said confidently.

"Picking just three is going to be quite the challenge. Probably more challenging than the actual challenge." Clifford said.

"Well then allow me to withdraw from being a candidate." Tom said. "I might be a good writer, but that's not really a talent I see Chris giving points to." He added.

"M-me too. I have too much s-stage fright." AJ said softly.

"You know the best way to cure stage fright is to perform on stage." Kyoko said.

AJ frantically waved her hands back and forth as a sign of no.

"I'd hate to lose the challenge for you." She said her entire face turning red.

"Well we need to decide who should go. I don't think it's a good idea to have two of the same acts, so we'll only use one artist and one musician." Clifford said.

"Nicky is it okay if I perform?" Ciara asked her.

"Sure. You'd probably do better than I would anyway." Nicky said looking down.

"Come on Nicky I'm sure you'd do great." Ciara said reassuringly.

"I doubt it. I have stage fright. It's probably not as bad as AJ's, but I'd hate to ruin the challenge for everyone." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I feel bad for Nicky. I'm sure her violin is amazing. Maybe after the challenge she and I can practice together. Still I can't wait to perform. Maybe if I do good enough I'll get noticed by a music producer. I'll get my own record label, and then someday get to work with my idol Mariah Carey. Eeee I can't wait!" Ciara said excitedly.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well that's one down, what about Kyoko and Clifford? Who should be our artist?" Kai asked.

"I hope you don't mind me taking this spot." Kyoko told Clifford.

"Not at all. I doubt Chris has the capacity to understand art as sophisticated as mine." Clifford said.

"Okay we need one more talent. Anyone want to volunteer?" Maximilian asked. The remaining members of the team looked at each other.

"I'd love to show off my wicked surf skills, but we have to perform on a stage." Kai said.

"I've got a pretty good talent. Allow me to demonstrate." Brett said. As he prepared himself though both of his shirt sleeves tore off along with some of his buttons.

"I doubt you'll get any talent done without your ship ripping off." Dante said.

"Well do you have a talent to offer?" Clifford asked Dante.

"No." Dante said glaring at Clifford.

"I've got a talent that is sure to blow Chris away." Gonzo said laughing.

"No!" Everyone except for Maddie yelled out worried about another one of his explosions.

"What about me? I can start a fire with next to nothing." Maddie said.

"No!" Everyone yelled again.

"Come on someone needs to have a good talent. We just need one more." Tom said.

Everyone was silent looking around at each other. After a while of nobody saying anything Maximilian reluctantly stepped forward.

"I guess I can perform. I'm sure Kyoko and Ciara will do good enough that I don't need that many points." He said.

"Alright then we'll get to practice and the rest of you can go enjoy your day." Kyoko said.

"Hey Clifford I've got plenty of time to practice my guitar, but I was wondering if you wanted to try painting a nude model." Ciara told Clifford before he left.

"I cannot count the number of reasons why that's a terrible idea." Clifford said before leaving.

"Maybe you should ditch the guitar and have have getting rejected be your talent." Dante sarcastically told Ciara.

"You think so?" She asked him. "Nah I'm better at guitar anyway." She said before going to practice.

"I was being sarcastic." Dante yelled over to her, but she didn't hear him.

 **(Screaming Phoenix)**

Back at the Screaming Phoenix things were going terribly. Nobody had a talent that seemed to fit Genevieve's high standards and they had almost gone through everyone.

"Alright Lucina what can you do?" Genevieve asked Lucy.

"Just Lucy is fine Genny. You mind if I call you Genny?" Lucy asked Genevieve.

"Yes I do mind, now what is your stupid talent!" Genevieve yelled.

"Okay chill out. I'm great at horseback ridding. I even compete in local races in exchange for letting my horse stay at their stables." Lucy said.

"Oh that's wonderful." Genevieve said kindly. "Except for the fact that there are no horses here!" She yelled.

"So that's a no then?" Lucy asked.

"Of course that's a no. Zelda you're the only one left. Please have a good talent." Genevieve said.

"Well originally I was going to do ballet, but since you're doing that my backup choice is modeling." Zelda said.

"You think you can model?" Genevieve asked Zelda unsure.

"I don't think I can. I know I can. Modeling is in my blood. My mother was an internationally ranked model, and she's taught me all she knows in case I ever want to get into the business." Zelda said.

Genevieve looked a bit unsure but then sighed in defeat.

"Alright Zelda you're in. Just don't mess this up. Someone go find Miriam. Since you all have no talent we'll need her after all." Genevieve said.

"I still think my talent was pretty good." Johnathan said.

"For the last time spinning a basketball on your finger for ten minutes is a stupid talent." Genevieve yelled at him. He just shrugged it off.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That's the last time I let her run things. She didn't even let me try. I can sing well, but just because I'm though she doesn't believe it." Koh said angry.

 **(Switch)**

"Genevieve's perfectionist nature could've helped us this challenge, but instead she just put everyone down. A real shame if you ask me." Kyle said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The Screaming Phoenix spit up to try and find Miriam while Genevieve and Zelda practiced. As for where she was, she went to the beach hoping to try and relax. She was throwing rocks across the water to relax herself when Kai showed up with his surfboard.

"Hey Miriam." Kai said as he saw her. "Why aren't you practicing?" He asked.

"They didn't want me to perform for our team." Miriam told him bluntly.

"That's crazy. Your dance moves at the ball were great. Not to mention how you got everyone dancing too." Kai said.

"Well they'd rather have Genevieve's ballet routine over me." Miriam told him.

"Why not just do both?" Kai asked.

"We can't have two dance routines. Variety is important. I'm sure you guys had the same issue with your art and music." Miriam said.

"Well yeah but your case is a little different. Your dance is so different from ballet. It'd be like comparing my surfing to water skiing." Kai told her.

"I guess you have a point. They probably already filled all the spots though." Miriam said.

"You never know unless you try." Kai said. He then headed into the water with his board. Miriam ran over to where they had been choosing their performers, only to see they were all gone. She decided to look for Genevieve, and found her practicing outside of the cabins.

"Genevieve I know you probably already filled the spots, but I want to perform." Miriam said.

"Well I suppose I can squeeze you in somewhere." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I wasn't about to let her know how desperate we were for her help. Especially not after she came begging for a spot." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Dante went to go see if he could find what Zelda was up to. Without their teams around the two could just spend some time together.

"Zelda what are you doing?" Dante yelled at her as he saw her practicing her modeling routine.

"I'm going to be modeling for the talent show." She explained to him.

"You really think that's a good idea with all the guys on your team?" Dante asked her.

"Trust me." She said. "I'm going to be using one of mom's old routines.

"Mom's routines weren't exactly the cleanest. You know she loved to show herself off." Dante pointed out.

"That's why I'm not following it exactly. Trust me on this one Dante." Zelda said.

"Okay, but if anyone on your team starts staring just know I'm breaking their jaw." Dante warned. Zelda just laughed at his threat.

The two siblings embraced in a hug before Dante went off to let Zelda practice. What they didn't notice was Koh watching them and angrily glaring at Zelda.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I knew she would be a liability with her brother on the other team. She'll have to prove where her loyalty lies soon enough." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The rest of the day passed by rather quickly. Soon enough it was time for everyone to meet, and for the show to begin.

"Welcome everyone to our second Total Drama Talent Show." Chris said. "Before we begin I have one special announcement." He added.

"Make it quick. The world awaits my glory." Genevieve said.

"The world will have to wait more, because the six that were chosen will not be competing." Chris said.

"What!" Everyone yelled out in surprise.

"The final twist for today's challenge. The three that your team chose will now choose three competitors from the other team to perform. They can't pick someone that was already picked, and the ones picked now will be the only people up for elimination." Chris explained to them.

"If we aren't performing what was the point of having us practice all day?" Miriam asked Chris.

"Why not." Chris answered shrugging. "You have ten minutes to pick the new performers, then it's showtime." Chris said taking a seat at his judge table.

The teams quickly huddled up to discuss who they would choose.

"This is terrible. You all have no talent and they all have immense talent." Genevieve complained.

"Well who do you think we should pick?" Nadine asked.

"You can discuss all you want. I'm going back to my cabin until we start." Genevieve said walking off.

"Okay princess isn't cooperating, so Zelda you and I need to decide who were taking." Miriam said.

"Genevieve was right about one thing. They have so many talented people." Lucy said.

"What about Dante? Is your brother talented?" Koh asked Zelda.

"I wouldn't say talented, but he's the strongest person I know. He'd probably do a workout routine or something." Zelda said.

"What if we pick Brett. He can't do much without his clothes ripping." Sarah pointed out.

"Not good enough. Zelda you need to pick Dante." Koh said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Time to see where Zelda's loyalty lies." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Zelda nervously looked around not liking all of the pressure that was put on her. She sighed in defeat.

"Okay I'll pick Dante." She said.

"Good I have an idea of who I'll pick as well." Miriam said.

"As long as you don't pick either of the two fire freaks then we're good." Sarah said.

With the Killer Hydra there was more heated debate about who to choose.

"Koh is a strong girl, but I don't think she has many talents." Clifford said.

"We don't know anything about her. She could have this great talent hidden away." Brett argued.

"Come on you guys we need to pick people and fast. Were running out of time." Kai said.

"Tom do you have any suggestions?" Kyoko asked him.

He thought for a moment looking over at the other team. He soon came up with two ideas seeing who was there and who was missing.

"Anthony is a good inventor, but his inventions typically fail. I think he's a good pick." Tom said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Genevieve wasn't with them. If I had to guess she's in her cabin. That gives me the perfect opportunity." Tom said. He took a pack of sticky notes out and wrote on one. "You can never find out about this, but if you do... I'm only trying to help." Tom said looking at the note he wrote.

 **(Confessional End)**

"So who else should we pick?" Dante asked.

"I'd say Nadine is a good pick. She's a sweet girl, but I don't think she's that good." Ciara said.

Gonzo and Maddie shook their heads agreeing with her. The two looked around trying to find a suitable third pick. Gonzo whispered something to Maddie and she agreed.

"How about Sarah?" Maddie suggested.

"Why her?" Clifford asked.

"She was the first person Gonzo and I both saw." Maddie said laughing. The team faceplanted at their logic, but having run out of time agreed to go along with it.

Genevieve exited her cabin and started to head back. As she was leaving, she heard some noise. Upon turning around all she saw was a green sticky note. She picked it up and read it, then smiled evilly.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"No idea who left this note, but they are good. Thanks for the idea." Genevieve said showing the note. It read 'Pick AJ to compete. She's a stuttering wreck that'll lose.' Genevieve crumpled the note up and ripped it destroying the evidence.

 **(Confessional Camera End)**

"Alright then Screaming Phoenix you can pick your three first." Chris said once everyone was back together.

"I pick Nicky." Miriam said.

Nicky looked nervous about going about.

"I pick Dante." Zelda said.

Dante gasped in shock.

"And I pick AJ." Genevieve said.

AJ turned completely red and looked like she was going to pass out.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Zelda picked me. Why would she do that. It's like she wants me to go home." Dante said shocked and angry.

 **(Switch)**

"I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this." AJ said on the verge of tears.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Now you see why this is such a great twist. Killer Hydra your picks now." Chris said.

"I'm picking Anthony." Kyoko said.

"I'm picking Nadine." Ciara said.

"I'm picking Sarah." Maximilian said.

"There we have it. We'll be performing in the order chosen so get ready everyone." Chris said.

Nicky grabbed her violin and headed up the stage. Before she was all the way there Ciara stopped her.

"Look Nicky I know you're nervous, but just focus on the music and ignore everyone else." Ciara told her.

"Focus on the music." Nicky repeated.

"You've got this girl." Ciara said giving her a par on the back.

Nicky made her way to the center stage and gripped her violin firmly.

"Nicky Krane presents to Total Drama and to the world Solitude in E minor." Nicky said.

She began to slowly play, before speeding up as she continued. Everyone in the audience was astonished by how well she performed. Each note was played perfectly on cue, and she kept speeding up playing at a speed that sounded exquisite. As she finished her performance she slowed down, and then finally came to a dramatic finish taking a bow. When she looked up she noticed Chris was asleep.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"He fell asleep! I composed that piece myself, and he fell asleep! What an ungrateful, inconsiderate, uncaring jerk!" Nicky yelled at the camera.

 **(Confessional End)**

"That was a good nap Kitty. I'll give it six points." Chris said.

Nicky stormed off angrily. Her team however greater her with hugs.

"That was amazing. You rocked it." Ciara told her.

"As I said. Chris isn't sophisticated enough to appreciate fine culture. Your music was perfect." Clifford told her.

"Thanks you guys." Nicky said wiping away a tear.

"Up next we have Anthony. Let's see what he has to offer us." Chris said moving onto the next act.

Anthony stepped up and had with him what looked to be a regular camera.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen. Have you ever wanted to take a photo, but can't find your good side?" Anthony asked the audience.

"Can't say that's ever been a problem." Chris answered.

"Well I have the solution for you. My new perfect shot camera will analyze your face and environment, then automatically tell you the best angle to take your photo." Anthony said.

"Does that thing really work?" Chris asked.

"Of course it does. Watch this." Anthony said.

He held the camera up to Chris and it started detecting where his face is. After a moment Anthony moved the angle slightly and then took the picture. He handed it to Chris as proof.

"Looks like all my pictures. Then again they're always perfect. Seven points." Chris said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Honestly this is just a normal camera. If I new I was performing I'd invent something but there was no time." Anthony revealed.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Moving right along we have Dante. What do you have for us dude?" Chris asked him.

"Bench pressing." Dante said.

He had a bench press set up, and was having Maximilian and Ciara put more weight on it. Dante showed no signs of struggling even as he started approaching 500 pounds. He kept moving and started to struggle when he approached 700 pounds.

"Dante I think you should stop." Maximilian said anxiously.

"Keep going." Dante yelled.

"Dante this is getting risky. You could get hurt." Ciara told him.

"I said keep going." Dante yelled again.

"Dante stop this." Zelda yelled from the stands. "You know the most you've ever been able to do is 600." She said.

Dante wouldn't budge so against his will Maximilian and Ciara removed the weights he had forcing him to stop.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Zelda's the reason I was put into that position, then she wants me to stop. Doesn't matter. Hope all the other guys here know how tough I am now." Dante said. He grabbed his arm which was sore from the stress.

 **(Confessional End)**

"What a lame ending. You just quit. I'll say four points." Chris said. Dante walked off being helped away by Maximilian and Ciara.

Nadine was the next one up and she had card tricks to perform.

"Alright Chris I need you to pick a card." She said holding out a deck of cards.

Chris picked a card and studied it carefully. He put it back into the deck and she shuffled it thoroughly.

"Alright Chris was this your card?" She asked holding up the Ace of Hearts.

"Nope I had the Ace of Spades." He said.

Nadine looked at him confused. She went through the entire deck and there wasn't an Ace of Spades in it.

"Chris I don't have that card?" She said.

"Who does magic tricks with an incomplete deck?" He asked her.

"It was all I had on short notice." She said.

"Well you get two points." Chris said. Nadine walked off looking sadly at her failed act.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Even with an incomplete deck that trick is really easy. I guess the pressure was too much for me." Nadine said willing away some tears.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Alright AJ the Killer Hydra have ten points while the Screaming Phoenix have nine. It's close and you're their closing act." Chris told her.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"This is just... too much pressure. The team needs me to win... but I can't do it." AJ said hyperventilating.

 **(Confessional End)**

"AJ you can do this. Did you write the haiku?" Tom asked her.

"I wrote it, b-b-but performing it is impossible." AJ said.

"AJ it's not that bad. I have stage fright too and it's over quickly." Nicky said comfortingly.

"We're with you every step of the way." Ciara told her.

"Yeah and if you want Gonzo and I can be ready to start a fire to distract everyone while you run off." Maddie offered.

"You'll do great AJ." Tom said smiling.

Her team went back to the stands while AJ nervously stepped onto the stage. Once she was in the center he entire body grew tense and stiff from the nervousness of everyone watching.

"H-here's a h-haiku about everyone's f-f-f-favorite h-host." AJ said.

"Th-the w-w-world's g-g-g-greatest host

You kn-n-now th-that h-h-he's..."

AJ stopped herself then turned around in tears. She cried to herself and started to walk off.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I know I'm leaving today. I'm sorry to my team. I failed you all. I almost made friends, but it was just too hard." AJ said still crying.

 **(Confessional End)**

AJ was about to walk off the stage officially ending her performance, when she heard her name. She stopped and turned around hearing it again. Kyoko was cheering her on. Tom and Nicky soon joined in cheering for her as well. After them, Ciara, Gonzo, and Maddie joined. It wasn't long until her entire team was cheering for her and chanting her name. AJ whipped away her tears and ran back to the center of the stage. She took a deep breath, and got ready to perform now with the confidence her team was with her.

"The world's greatest host

You know that he's Chris McLean

He is perfection"

AJ's haiku was nothing more than praising Chris. The team thought it'd give them easy points despite her performance. They were right.

"That might have been a rough start, but it was worth the end. Ten points and the victory goes to the Killer Hydra." Chris announced.

The Killer Hydra cheered and carried AJ back to their cabins to celebrate.

"Wait I still need to perform." Sarah pointed out.

"Do the math. Even if you got a ten, which I highly doubt, you'd still lose having 19 to their 20." Chris pointed out. See you at elimination again." Chris said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That wasn't a talent show. It was a who can praise Chris the most show." Miriam complained.

 **(Switch)**

"I can't believe we won, and my because of me. My teams the best. Maybe getting over my shyness won't be so hard." AJ said smiling.

 **(Switch)**

"A darn shame we lost, but at least now I can see how easy it is to manipulate the votes." Aiden said smirking.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Hey y'all I know today won't be an easy vote, but I have an idea of who to vote for. Hear me out will ya." Aiden said as the team prepared to vote.

At the campfire ceremony everyone already had a marshmallow except for Anthony, Nadine, and Sarah, since they were the only ones eligible for elimination.

"So between you three let's see who is going home. Safe with no votes we have Sarah." Chris said.

Sarah ran over to get her marshmallow glad she wasn't gone.

"Now we have the two who did perform. Anthony your camera should've been an easy ten points if it worked, and Nadine your card trick was just terrible. Still the person going home is

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Nadine." Chris said.

Anthony received his marshmallow happily while Nadine just looked down sadly.

"A shame my time is up, but it was a pleasure to get to know all of you." Nadine said cheering up quickly.

Chef strapped her into the pendulum and after a few quick swings she was off the island.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It was easy getting them to vote for Nadine." Aiden said surprisingly without his accent. "Not only did she do the worst, but I appealed to their sensibilities. I said a poor innocent girl like her wouldn't last long. It'd be a kind gesture sending her home. Genevieve didn't let me show off my acting skills, but maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Now I'll be on their friendly side and they'll never suspect a thing. I'll show I'm the best actor once I win this game." He said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Now that's what I call a good contestant. Who will be Aiden's next target? Will the Screaming Phoenix manage to pull of a win for once? How long will AJ's self confidence last before she's back to being a stuttering mess? Will anyone find out who sent the note? Find out all this and more next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona

23\. Nadine Navarro

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Brett, Kai, Clifford, Maddie, Gonzo, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, AJ, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Kyle, Johnathan, Sarah, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, and Zelda

 **Apology to Boostup7 for Nadine being eliminated. Nadine was a great character to write because of how sweet she is. She cares for everyone, even people like** **Genevieve** **or Koh who are cold or** **indifferent** **. I didn't really have much of a plot with her though other than her being an easy target to set up one of the villains. What hurt her chances the most were being on a team that hated each other. As shown with AJ's part in the talent show, the Killer Hydra are very united and there for each other. The Screaming Phoenix however don't have that unity so they picked off who they** **perceived** **to be the weakest link. Though it was only two chapters I hope you enjoyed how I portrayed Nadine. Simply trying to get along with her team and be a good friend to everyone. I** **originally** **intended her to become a minion for Genevieve, but I scrapped that idea because I didn't think it fit either Nadine's character or** **Genevieve's** **.**

* * *

 **A/N: I really wish that I could've gotten this chapter out back when we were still in August. At the very least I wish I could've gotten it out not so late into September. I severely underestimated how much time this new job would take away and as result kind of neglected writing this chapter. I also got sidetracked playing the new Spider-Man game, but that game is perfection. I am not embarrassed to say I have already 100% completed it. I'm quickly adapting to this new work schedule, and with Spider-Man finished I'll be spending most of my free time writing. This chapter was initially longer, but I cut out some of the parts where the initially chosen six were practicing just so I could finish and move on to the next chapter As a result this chapter is shorter than the previous two. As I've mentioned I don't have a writing limit or a word count I try to meet. I just write until it feels natural and comfortable. I cut things out I feel they don't add anything and are just slowing down the story. Still it does make me sad to see my chapters get shorter when I'm finished. As long as you enjoy the chapter that's all that matters. I'm a bit dissatisfied with this chapter as a whole, but let me know what you guys think. Did you like or dislike? I went with the talent contest as a challenge because there were so many talented contestants I felt it would be a crime not to include it. Just so you know, my grammar also might not be the best this time around since I didn't have time to check everything. Hopefully it isn't as bad as the first chapter, but I promise I won't be so negligent about that in the future. That's all I really have to say about that. Let me know what you thought of each talent whether it be the ones we did see on stage, or the ones that were not chosen. Hope you guys enjoyed and it should be a sooner wait till next chapter, which will have a lot more action in it.**


	8. Sink or Swim

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Glad that you enjoyed the chapter. I know that Koh didn't have too much to do this chapter. While some characters get more screen time than others in some chapters I hope by the end it will be relatively even. I hope you like what I end up doing with Koh because it is one of the ideas I can't wait for readers to read.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ I'll try not to use my job as an excuse too often, but just know that will often be the main reason for delays. Glad to see that you liked the chapter and that you liked the twist. There will be a lot more hidden scheming such as helping out Genevieve so stay tuned because the game has just gotten started. With so many villains there will be scheming from several angles.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ I tried not to make the twist to obvious so the fact that you were caught off guard is a good sign. It's also great to hear that I'm doing everything right with Ciara so far. I often worry I'm either going too far with her flirting, or not going far enough, but if you say that I'm portraying her perfectly then I guess I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ The talent show was one of my favorite challenges from season 1 because while it was relatively simple it was a lot of fun. We didn't have anything to dramatic like Heather reading Gwen's diary here, but I hope the talent show was still entertaining. I'm open to doing more retro challenges with modern twists so if you have any suggestions I'm all ears. As for Nadine it was sad to see her go. I like all of these characters and trust me when I say it hurts me each time I have to get rid of one of them. Of course I can't play favorites. I have to tell the best story I can even if it means an OC I love, or even one I made has to go home. Thanks for telling me the length is fine. I've been reading Total Drama stories for some time now and it always amazes me when I see how long some of their chapters are. By comparison mine are just so short. Of course I don't want to artificially extend the length of any given chapter because that could just end up ruining the whole thing.

 _ **ThorBringsTheThunder-**_ Good to know I'm making everyone's unique personalities stand out. A few of these characters are a bit similar to each other, but they have enough differences that I can make them feel unique. Perhaps Nadine's deck was tampered with, perhaps she simply messed up herself due to the pressure. Only time will tell what ended up happening there. I like your idea of adding the stereotypes next to the name so I'll go ahead and start doing that. It will probably be easier to remember who is who. Sorry Gonzo didn't get much screen time, but let's face it. With as insane a personality as his, and his love of explosives there's no way his team would reasonably let him compete in a talent show. Glad to see you're liking quite a few characters and I find it interesting you dislike someone. I have to wonder if you dislike him because I'm writing him bad, or if I'm writing him good enough that you can dislike him. Something interesting for me to think about.

 _ **Aleister Bloodrive VII-**_ Sorry there wasn't much action, but the talents I ended up going with were relatively small and simple. There wasn't anything too grand this time around. AJ getting the victory here is the first step in her long road to increasing her social skills and getting over her shy nature. Sorry we didn't get to see Gonzo's talent. To tease you a little bit more, let me say that it would probably be illegal in some countries due to it's use of unregulated fireworks. Bet you'll never stop thinking about how cool that is.

 _ **t20n00-**_ Let me go ahead and apologize for cutting out those scenes from the last chapter. It wasn't necessarily a matter of wanting to get it done more quickly, but rather I was getting frustrated with how little progress I was making and just wanted to be done with it. I let my frustration get the better of me, and I'll try not to let that happen again. It seems people enjoyed this chapter, so I guess it wasn't as bad as I thought it was, but I'm sure it would have been better if I hadn't cut those scenes out. As for the BS victory I do admit that is a bit of a cop-out. It is in character for Chris to give a team the win for sucking up to him so I don't feel entirely terrible about doing it. I promise I won't do it frequently, and the team that wins will be the one that deserves it. In this case it was just the easiest way to give the victory to AJ and Killer Hydra while keeping Chris in character. Sorry about Nadine being eliminated and you kind of have a point that she was one of the last fully neutral characters left. There's quite a lot to expect from this cast so you'll have to wait and see what happens next. With my luck I bet I'm going to have another one of your favorite characters eliminated so I'll just go ahead and apologize now. Good to know you like where I'm taking Tom so far. His note to Genevieve will come up again. It might not happen sometime soon, but there will be consequences to his actions. I can't wait till the good part. Hope you like where I end up taking him.

 _ **justme-**_ I'm sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but Dante and Maximilian isn't a ship that is going to be happening. Dante is straight. That being said if you want to keep shipping them go ahead. Let me also say their friendship is going to be playing quite the role in this story, and is going to be one of the most important parts of Dante's character development this season. I hope that makes you feel better now that I've gone ahead and sunken your OTP.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. We treated our contestants with the second ever Total Drama Talent Show. Some were looking forward to showing off their stuff, while others were just glad they didn't have to do anything. Little did they know though that those chosen wouldn't actually be in the talent show, but would instead chose our real competitors. Some had great talents while others failed to live up to expectations. In a surprising twist AJ the stuttering wreck ended up getting the win by performing a stellar haiku. Nice girl Nadine went home and the Screaming Phoenix went down to ten. What intense challenge will they be put through today. Will AJ keep her new confidence. How many more Phoenix will Scream their way home? Get all these answers and more right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

The sun slowly rose into the sky, shining its warm rays of light throughout the island. Birds sang to start the morning before flying off. While most of the contestants were still sound asleep, Dante was busy working out. After having failed at the talent show he was determined to get stronger. He had just finished his morning jog, and was currently working on the bench press from said talent show. As he continued to work out he was approached by his sister.

"Isn't it unsafe to operate one of these by yourself?" Zelda asked him making her presence known.

Dante quit what he was doing and stood up to talk with her.

"You saw my performance last time. I need to get better." He said.

"Come on Dante you guys won." Zelda said. "Isn't that something worth being happy about?" She asked him.

"You and I both know my team didn't deserve to win that. If it wasn't for Chris being an egotistical maniac we would've lost big time." Dante told her bluntly.

"Shouldn't you be glad you won?" Zelda asked Dante. "Your team hasn't had to vote anyone off yet." She said.

"My team is pretty close, but that won't last. As soon as we end up losing a challenge we'll all be eating each other alive." Dante said.

"Why do you always have to be negative?" Zelda asked him.

"I'm just being realistic. I don't trust anybody on my team and you shouldn't either." Dante said.

"You seem awfully close to Ciara and Maximilian for not trusting anybody." Zelda pointed out.

"Max is the only guy I can tolerate since I know he won't try anything with you. As for Ciara I made a mistake and I'm trying to make up for it. Nothing more." Dante said.

"Alright Mr. Negativity you get back to your workout. I'm going to shower. You never know when Chris is going to randomly wake everyone up, and then it's a fight for the hot water." Zelda said.

As she walked away Dante quickly ran after her leaving behind the work out equipment.

"You want me to go with you?" He asked her.

"No thanks. We haven't showered together since I was five." Zelda said laughing. Dante started glaring at her.

"Don't make this weird. You know exactly what I meant. I go with you, then stand outside so I can make sure none of the guys try to spy on you while you're showering." Dante said.

"You're far too paranoid. I'll be fine. Besides, you should get back to your workout. There's quite a few guys here that aren't intimidated by you. You might have to get physical with them if anything happens to me." Zelda said convincingly.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I really hate using Dante's own overprotective nature against him, but sometimes he just leaves me no choice. I hope I don't end up causing him to actually fight someone though." Zelda said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Dante headed back to the bench press leaving Zelda to shower. As he made his way back, he saw someone was using it. That was none other than Brett.

"I was using that." Dante said angrily.

"Oh sorry about that Dante. If you want I can help you out. Your performance was good, but there a few things you could do better." Brett said.

"I don't need your help, and even if I did I don't want it." Dante told him.

"Come on man I'm only trying to help you out. We are on the same team." Brett said.

"What makes you so sure you can even help?" Dante asked Brett.

"Well my personal record is about 50 pounds more than what you seem able to lift. We're almost the same build, so you could get there with a bit of help." Brett said.

"Like I said I don't want or need your help. Stay out of my way if you know what's good for you." Dante said before pushing past Brett.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I was just trying to help him out. A simple favor from one teammate to another. Maybe over time he'll warm up to the idea." Brett said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Inside the Mess Hall a few contestants had arrived for early breakfast before the challenge. Lucy was writing inside of her diary when Anthony and Sarah sat by her.

"Whatcha writing?" Anthony asked Lucy.

Lucy was startled by the sudden arrival of them and quickly shut her diary.

"Oh you know just writing about my day. That's what a diary is for isn't it." Lucy said laughing nervously.

"You're not much of a people person are you? I usually see you by yourself." Sarah said.

"Well not many people want to be friends with an accused murder." Lucy said looking down sadly. She quickly brushed it off and started smiling again.

"So then you joined to make friends?" Anthony asked Lucy.

"Nah. I joined because I need the money. I want to be a lawyer, but law school is expensive." Lucy told him.

"That's a nice goal you have. It's not just about money though, you also need good grades to get accepted into law school." Sarah said.

"No need to worry about that. I might not look the part, but I'm actually a smart girl. I just act a little childish sometimes." Lucy said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Lucy sure is an interesting girl. I think we could get along though, which is good. Since our team keeps losing I need as many allies as I can get." Sarah said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Soon enough the loudspeaker siren went off signaling the announcement of the days challenge.

"Good morning everyone." Chris said through the loudspeaker. "Hope you're all prepared for today's challenge. Meet me at the beach in 15 minutes, and come in your swim clothes." He said.

Upon hearing that they would need swim clothes Gonzo frantically ran out of the Mess Hall into his cabin screaming as loud as he could.

"Please keep your psychotic teammate under control." Genevieve said.

"I'll go check up on him." Clifford said completely ignoring Genevieve's remark.

Clifford headed into his cabin where he found Gonzo hiding under his bed sheets.

"What is the matter with you Gonzo?" Clifford asked him. "This is unusual behavior, even for you." He said.

"You heard Chris. He said we needed our swim clothes. That means we're having a swimming challenge today." Gonzo said panicking.

"Yes that is true but that doesn't explain why you're so distraught and frightened." Clifford said.

"Cliff I'm terrified of swimming. It's the only thing I'm afraid of. I would have never signed up if I thought there would be swimming challenges today." Gonzo said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I could point out how idiotic it is to assume there wouldn't be any water based challenges on an island, but that wouldn't help. If we lose today's challenge because of this fear, then Gonzo is going to be voted out no doubt. I need him and his connection with Maddie if I want a majority of the votes on my side, so I'll just have to help him out." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Clifford sat down next to Gonzo and put an arm over his shoulder reassuringly.

"Look Gonzo today's challenge won't be that bad. We just need to get it over with and then you won't have to deal with swimming for a while." Clifford said.

"I don't know if I can do that Cliff it's just to terrifying." Gonzo said shaking his head.

"Gonzo you're the craziest person I know, and I mean that in a good way. You can do this. I know you can." Clifford told him.

"If there isn't any way out of this then I guess I might as well enter the watery death trap known as the ocean." Gonzo said getting up.

Clifford gave him a pat on the back for confidence. The other guys on their team arrived to get changed and soon they all headed toward the beach. When all the contestants arrived at the beach, Chef led them towards familiar looking stands in the water. One by one they were strapped into their seat until it was ready to begin. Chris entered onto a platform in between the stands.

"Hope this looks familiar. Back in season 4 we had a game of truth. Of course those guys were a bunch of whiners and never finished the challenge. You won't get so lucky." Chris said laughing. "A refresher on the rules of this game. You will be asked some personal questions. If the owner of that secret presses the button your team gets a point. Our winner will be the team to get five points, and they'll have a major advantage in part two of today's challenge. Of course if nobody decides to own up then you'll be treated to this." Chris said.

Chris pulled out a remote and pushed a button on it. Once the button was pressed the stands went underwater. All that could be heard was the not too distant sound of Gonzo screaming. After a moment of waiting Chris pushed the button again and the stands rose back up.

"I don't care what ridiculous secrets you have just reveal them so we don't have to endure that again." Genevieve told her team.

"I wasn't done explaining Genevieve." Chris said. "If nobody confesses, then the other team can take a guess. If they guess right the point is theirs. If they guess wrong then this happens." Chris said. He once again sent them into the water and laughed as he waited to bring them back up.

"Wait a minute, wasn't there a mutant shark down there last time you did this challenge?" Kai asked realising that they had been dunked twice now and there was no sign of Fang.

"Fang's contract expired so he left to pursue his dream of opening his own seafood restaurant." Chris explained.

Elsewhere Fang's restaurant was shown to actually be a trap set up by him to get meals rather than serving them. Back at the competition the contestants were shown to be relieved they didn't have to worry about Fang.

"This challenge will be a lot easier without him to worry about." Kyoko said.

"True, but I can still do this." Chris said dunking them all into the water a third time. He left them down there for a quite a while this time until finally letting them back up.

"Will you quit doing that!" Genevieve yelled.

"You're right. It's time to begin. Let's start with our resident losers the Screaming Phoenix." Chris said. He pulled out his first card and read from it "Who can't sleep without their stuffed animal?

The Screaming Phoenix looked around at each other for signs of who it could be. After nobody confessed to it they were dunked into the water.

"Looks like the Screaming Phoenix wanted another bath today. Killer Hydra can you figure it out?" Chris asked once the Screaming Phoenix rose from the water.

"It's Zelda." Dante said confidently.

"That is correct. One point for the Killer Hydra." Chris said.

"Dante what the heck!" Zelda yelled over at him. "You know people tease me over that." She said.

"Well you know I'll break their nose if they tease you. Consider us even for having chosen me for the talent show." Dante said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

Zelda was shown clutching her fist in anger. "So he won't let me have a boyfriend, or any friends for that matter, yet he's fine humiliating me. He's so frustrating! I hate him sometimes!" She yelled.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Loving the sibling rivalry, but let's move on. Killer Hydra who got their left cheek burned by a friend when they were in Middle School." Chris said. It didn't take long before Tom pressed the buzzer.

"So that's how you got your scar. I've been wondering about that for a while." Maddie said.

"Can we move on." Tom said not wanting anymore attention drawn to the minor scar on his cheek.

"Back to the Screaming Phoenix. Who paid to have their name legally changed?

Once again none of the Screaming Phoenix moved to confess. Just as their time was about to run out Genevieve reluctantly answered not wanting to get dunked again.

"You changed your name?" Zelda asked Genevieve surprised.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. It was such a bland name for someone as exceptional as myself. Thus I chose to re imagine myself as someone I deserved to be. I became Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire." Genevieve said defending herself.

"That explains why you have seven first names. I thought your parents just hated you." Miriam said laughing.

"Continuing along we go back to the Killer Hydra." Chris said. "Who had to move out of the country they were living in after they set a police officer's pants on fire while..." Chris started to say, but before he finished Gonzo had already pressed the button.

"That one was all me." He said proudly. Everyone just started at him except for Maddie who was laughing.

"You get the point for this question... but since you interrupted me." Chris said before grinning. He pushed the button and sent them back into the water as punishment. "It's 3 points to 1 points but the Screaming Phoenix could still pull this around. Who is in the foster care system?" Chris asked.

Unlike the previous times where the Screaming Phoenix seemed unwilling to answer, this time culprit answered right away. It was Lucy who answered.

"That was hardly an embarrassing secret Chris." Lucy said. Genevieve laughed at her statement.

"What do you mean hardly? What's worse than knowing your parents didn't care enough to keep you?" Genevieve said.

"You had better shut up right now!" Koh yelled at Genevieve. "There's nothing wrong with being adopted or being in a foster home." She said. Genevieve simply rolled her eyes.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I don't see what the big deal is. There are plenty of other secrets Chris could have pulled from." Lucy said.

 **(Switch)**

"Something isn't adding up. Not only was she accused of murder, but she's also a foster child. Despite this though she seems so innocent and naive if a little socially inept. I'll have to keep an eye on her because there's more to her than she's willing to admit." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Killer Hydra which of you was dumped by your first and only girlfriend because she was jealous of how much time you were spending with another girl?" Chris asked.

None of the Killer Hydra budged to confess. It was looking more and more likely that they would get dunked.

"Please confess! Please confess! Please confess!" Gonzo yelled out not wanting to get dunked again. His screaming however did not change their mind and soon the team was dunked into the water.

"Screaming Phoenix you get a chance to guess. Be careful though or it's another trip into the water." Chris said laughing.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm pretty good at observing people. From what I've seen the most likely suspects are Clifford, Kai, and Dante. That's only a 33 percent chance of getting the right answer so I hope I get lucky." Kyle said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"We're going to guess Dante." Kyle said.

Chris lingered his finger over the button to dunk them in suspense. Once the tension was created he released his hand.

"That is correct. Dante's girlfriend got a little jealous with how much time he spent with Zelda. The Screaming Phoenix steal the point tying up the game." Chris announced.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Dante never told me I was the reason they broke up. They were perfect for each other. I feel terrible." Zelda said looking down sadly.

 **(Switch)**

"How did Chris find that out. I made sure Zelda would never know about that. She's probably blaming herself for this." Dante said angrily.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Continuing with the Screaming Phoenix who was kicked out of the house by their parents for being lazy, and not as good as their successful older siblings?" Chris asked. Almost immediately Johnathan pushed his buzzer.

"My life's been pretty good since I stopped having to deal with them." Johnathan said.

"Don't you think you should try and met your parents expectations?" Zelda asked him.

"Nah I'm good." Johnathan said shrugging her off.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"With my dad being a two time winning Nobel Prize genius and my mom being a renowned model I had my own share of intense expectations growing up. It was rough, but it was worth it. I'm sure Johnathan's parents just want the best for him as my parents do for me." Zelda said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"The Screaming Phoenix need one more point to win. Killer Hydra you better confess and hope they don't next round if you want that advantage." Chris said. "Who's only friend is their pet cat?" He asked.

The Killer Hydra looked at each other desperate for someone to confess. Just at seemed they were going to get dunked Nicky pressed the button.

"It's me." She said nervously. Chris waited for a moment, and then pushed the button.

"Nice try, but it wasn't you. Since they tried to cheat they lose a point, and they get to stay down there a bit longer." Chris announced. "Screaming Phoenix you have a guess?" Chris asked them.

"It's clearly the stuttering wreck AJ." Genevieve said.

"That is correct so the Screaming Phoenix win the advantage in the next part." Chris said.

As the Screaming Phoenix were celebrating they didn't notice that Chris pushed the button sending them into the water. After the contestants had dried off and recovered they followed Chris to where the second part of the challenge would be taking place. They were led to a large circular platform surrounded by water.

"That looks like the platform from Wii Sports." Brett said looking at it.

"You're right it does." Kyoko agreed with him. Brett looked over at Kyoko surprised.

"I didn't think you liked video games." Brett told her.

"You could be fooled me yourself." Kyoko responded.

"Shush. If you'll pay attention to me we can start." Chris said. "For the second part of the challenge we will be dueling. The platform will spin around while you try to knock your opponent into the water. Since the Screaming Phoenix won part one, they will get to pick who they send to duel while the Killer Hydra have it random. We'll have 10 duels and the team that wins most wins today. Losers send someone home." He explained.

"We still have all 12 of our teammates." Kyoko pointed out.

"That's true. Since AJ won the talent show, she and someone of her choosing will be exempt from being chosen for dueling." Chris said.

Everyone turned to look at AJ wondering who she would chose to sit out the challenge along with her.

"Pick me. Please AJ. Get me out of this torture." Gonzo told her jumping up and down frantically.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It was too much pressure having to pick someone. Especially without any time to think it over." AJ said her face being red.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Umm.. I pick Tom." AJ said softly. It would be an understatement to say her team was shocked by this choice.

"Thanks AJ." Tom said blushing.

Gonzo fell to the floor and screamed out in agony having to take part in the challenge.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

Clifford was shown in the confessional gritting his teeth.

"She wins one challenge and suddenly she thinks she can do whatever she wants. Gonzo was the obvious choice with how he's been acting today. I suppose if we lose she'll have to go." He said.

 **(Switch)**

"I've got to thank AJ for getting me out of this challenge. I don't do good with physical battles so I probably would have lost." Tom said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Now that we have that settled. Let's start with the first duel. For the Killer Hydra we have Kitty. Screaming Phoneix who will you send in?" Chris asked.

Nicky stepped onto the platform. She wore a pink one piece. Lucy stepped up for the Screaming Phoenix and had a light blue two piece bikini. The two picked up their battering sticks and the platform began to spin. While Lucy was physically stronger than Nicky, she had difficulty pushing Nicky off since she was much smaller. Nicky used this to her advantage and stayed low.

"Just shove her off already." Koh yelled towards Lucy.

Unfortunately for Lucy, Nicky managed to trip her. Lucy could no longer balance on the spinning platform, and fell into the water.

"The first point goes to the Killer Hydra. Our next Killer Hydra up is Clifford. Screaming Phoenix pick your fighter." Chris said.

"Clifford is one of their bigger guys. I'll take care of it." Koh said.

"You sure can handle him?" Aiden asked her.

"Trust me. I know how to take down someone bigger than me." Koh said.

The two stepped onto the platform. Clifford's swim outfit was quite extravagant. He had a plain and long white wife beater, beige pineapple trucks, and some sandy colored flip flops. He also wore tinted sunglasses, and a beige colored wide brimmed hat. Koh on the other hand simply wore a black two-piece. As the duel commenced, Koh carefully approached Clifford. Once she was at a close enough distance she delivered a swift strike that caused him to collapse on his own weight and fall into the water.

"Wow that might just be our fastest fight. Over in one strike." Chris said.

The Screaming Phoenix all cheered for Koh while Clifford pulled himself out of the water.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"When you grow up where I did, you learn to take down people bigger than you. Didn't think it would be so easy though." Koh said.

 **(Switch)**

"I underestimated her and let my guard down. I won't repeat that mistake." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Let's see if anyone is able to top that fight Chris said.

What followed was a quick montage of fights. First was Miriam who wore a navy blue and white tank top with low rise belted bottoms versus Brett with amber swim shorts where Miriam's dancing skills were able to outlast and beat Brett's insane strength.

Next had Ciara in a pink two-piece swim suit versus Aiden who didn't have a swim outfit, and was just in what appeared to be his underwear. In this match up things were quite close, but Ciara managed to pull in a win all while failing to flirt with Aiden.

Finally, there was Maddie in a black two piece versus Anthony who wore yellow goggles and red swim trunks. In this match up, Maddie's unpredictable nature was too much for the inventor too keep up with. It wasn't long before she was able to knock him into the water.

"We're halfway done with our fights, and the Killer Hydra are in the lead. For fight number six we had better get ready because Dante is up to fight." Chris announced.

"I think we all know what we have to do." Sarah said.

All of the Screaming Phoenix turned to look at Zelda. She was the best choice to go against Dante since he wouldn't go all out on her. Dante stepped onto the platform dressed black swim trunks. Zelda reluctantly stepped up and she wore a pink one piece swimsuit.

"You really want to do this?" Dante asked his sister.

"Consider it payback for revealing my secret." Zelda said before rushing at him.

She attempted to integrate some of her fencing lessons that her father paid for into her technique, but Dante was able to counter her easily. He pushed her back with relative ease. She was about to fall backwards into the water when Dante rushed over to pull her up.

"Thanks for the help." Zelda said grabbing his hand. "Sorry to do this." She added. She not only pulled herself up, but also managed to push him in into the water using her momentum.

"Why did you help her up. It's not like the water would hurt her." Clifford yelled towards Dante.

"She doesn't know how to swim." Dante revealed as he pulled himself out of the water.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"First he reveals I sleep with my stuffed dog, now he reveals I can't swim. You're being such a great brother Dante." Zelda said embarrassed.

 **(Switch)**

"First Gonzo now Zelda. Why would people sign up for a competition on an island not being able to handle water. It's utterly ridiculous." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Surprise victory by abusing Dante's need to protect his sister. Let's see if the Screaming Phoenix can keep up the winning with Kai up next." Chris said.

"I've got this guys. The water is a surfer's best friend and that spinning is nothing compared to how harsh the waves get." Kai said confidently.

"Alright I think it's my turn to bat." Johnathan said.

The two made their way onto the platform. Kai wore yellow, floral patterned swim trunks while Johnathan wore white swim trunks. Their duel was quite the standoff. True to his word Kai wasn't bothered by the platform's spinning, and was standing his ground well. Despite this advantage he wasn't strong enough to push Johnathan that much. As for Johnathan, while he had strength on his side he was having difficulty balancing when the platform sped up. Johnathan lost his balance and fell to the ground. Just as he was about to fall into the water he threw his battering stick at Kai. The impact was enough to push Kai into the water mere seconds before Johnathan fell in. The two pulled themselves out and high-fived afterward.

"That was an epic match bro." Johnathan said.

"Totally!" Kai agreed before heading back to his team.

"Shame you lost Kai. If you want you can ride my waves anytime." Ciara said flirting with him. To her surprise Kai laughed at this.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind Ciara." Kai said still laughing. What he didn't notice was a completely love struck Ciara.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"He laughed at my joke. He actually laughed. I've found my soulmate." Ciara said in love daze.

 **(Switch)**

"Ciara is a really funny girl. I don't get why nobody else here laughs at her jokes. Sure they're kinda explicit, but it's not like we're actually doing anything." Kai said.

 **(Switch)**

"... then we'll have a lot of kids, and we'll grow old together. I can't wait." Ciara said still daydreaming.

 **(Confessional End)**

There was another short montage of the next two fights. First was Maximilian who wore green shorts versus Sarah in a crisscross blue bikini. This match was close, but it went to Maximilian. The following one was Kyoko who wore a purple one piece swimsuit with a silver butterfly on the chest versus Kyle who wore dark blue swim trunks. Kyle needed up being the winner of this match.

"We are down to our final match. The Screaming Phoenix have five wins while the Killer Hydra have four. If the Killer Hydra win we go to a tie breaker, if not then they send someone home." Chris announced.

The last two competitors made their way to the platform. Genevieve wore a designer swimsuit while Gonzo did not have a swim outfit and was in his normal clothes.

"You know Gonzo I'd hate to be you right now. When you lose not only will you be eliminated, but you'll also be wet." Genevieve said.

"Don't listen to her. She's just trying to get in your head. You can win this." Clifford said.

"Perhaps you can win this. The question is are you willing to risk that." Genevieve said.

She picked up her stick and approached Gonzo menacingly. Since the sticks were still wet she used it to splash water towards Gonzo freaking him out.

"I concede!" Gonzo yelled running off the platform.

"With that the Screaming Phoenix win their first challenge. Killer Hydra I'll see you at elimination." Chris said.

Before Chris left he pulled out the remote from the first part of the challenge and pushed a button. It caused the platform to open from the closed off side and cover the Killer Hydra in water.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I've got to find a way to save Gonzo. Luckily I can make AJ a target. She lost us part one, and she could've excused Gonzo from part two but didn't. It's her fault we lost." Clifford said.

 **(Switch)**

"AJ could be going home today. She's important for my plans, so luckily I have a way to save her." Tom said. He then began to write another note.

 **(Confessional End)**

Inside the Killer Hydra boys cabin they were relaxing before the voting ceremony when Dante angrily slammed the door open.

"Which one of you wrote this! I demand to know!" He yelled at them. It was a love letter addressed to his sister.

"Calm down Dante I'm sure we can figure out who has a crush on your sister and resolve this in a civilized manner." Brett said. Dante simply glared at him.

"I'll calm down when all of you after my sister are gone." He said before leaving.

"It is not a good idea to keep him that mad. Whoever wrote the letter, just admit to it." Tom said.

"Even if they do confess that'll make them a target for him. It's probably why they wrote the anonymous note to begin with." Maximilian pointed out.

"Well that's better than him being mad at everyone. If anything we should just vote him out today." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Gonzo messed up today, but AJ did too. Dante's just terrifying. It's going to be hard to vote today." Kai said.

 **(Switch)**

"Hopefully I don't go home today. I picked Tom because I thought Gonzo could do better. Tom isn't the strongest person on our team physically." AJ said. She then blushed realizing the implication. "N-not that I've been looking too closely at him." She said.

 **(Switch)**

"I hope my pal Gonzo doesn't leave. The girls are all nice, but they don't get me the way he does." Maddie said.

 **(Switch)**

"Like I told Zelda we were close until it was time to vote someone out. I'll find who wrote that letter and make sure to have a long talk with them." Dante said.

 **(Confessional End)**

At the campfire ceremony the Killer Hydra arrived for the first time.

"Welcome Killer Hydra to your first elimination. It was quite the surprising result. Safe with no votes we are..." Chris started announcing

"Kai." Kai pumped his fist in the air catching marshmallow.

"Ciara." She ignored the marshmallow thrown her direction staring at Kai dreamily.

"Clifford." He got his marshmallow grinning.

"Brett." He reached for his marshmallow and though he caught it his shirt ripped off in the process.

"Kyoko." She eagerly got her marshmallow.

"Nicky." She got hers smiling

"Maddie, Maximilian, and Tom." The three got their marshmallows, but looked concerned as each had a close friend up for elimination.

Dante glared at the guys on his team, AJ looked immensely nervous, and Gonzo just had his head hung.

"Lets see what we have here. Gonzo you quit the last battle that you could've won. AJ you're the reason he was put in that battle, and you lost part one. Dante I'm not sure what you did but the other guys seem to hate you. Still only one of you is going home today. That person is...

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Gonzo." Chris announced.

"I figured my time was coming soon. At least I had a blast." Gonzo said. As he walked towards the Pendulum of Shame an explosive he had planted somewhere on the island went off.

"Way to go out with a bang." Maddie said.

Gonzo was strapped in and soon got flung off the island his shout of excitement being heard in the distance.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Looks like my plan worked. By getting Dante to think one of us has a crush on his sister I made him paranoid and angry. That caused most of the other guys to vote him off and split the votes enough to save AJ. Now for part two of this plan. I need to get Dante to trust me over everyone else. He's already a useful ally, but lets see what will happen when he's an angry ally." Tom said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"So much for the Killer Hydra being the perfect team. Will they regain their team spirit, or will they eat each other alive. Will Dante and Zelda's sibling relationship continue to be torn apart. How many more explosives did Gonzo plant before leaving?" As Chris said that another explosion went off. "Find out all this and more next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro:The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Brett, Kai, Clifford, Maddie, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, AJ, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Kyle, Johnathan, Sarah, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, and Zelda

 **Apology to** **ThorBringsTheThunder for Gonzo being eliminated. I should apologize to a lot of people since he was quite the popular character. Originally Gonzo was going to be the first person eliminated since his creator suggested he would work well as a first person out. Of course with how popular he ended up being I kept him around a bit, but he's still the first one out of his team. He's a** **hilarious** **character due to his antics, but honestly I think his team would tire of his antics quickly. Especially since they also have Maddie to deal with. That along with him being deathly afraid of water and swimming just made it so logical for him to be out. I hope you can all forgive me, but there's more to come from Maddie. The antics aren't over yet. Speaking of Maddie, some people interpreted Gonzo and Maddie as potential love interests, but let me say that won't happen. They get along well and are too oddballs that get each other but romance is not where that was headed or will be headed.**

* * *

 **A/N: I've got good news and I've got better news for everyone. The good news is I finished this chapter. Of course you already knew that since you just finished reading it. The better news is I finished the next chapter. I wanted the next chapter to be a Halloween themed challenge and to release it on Halloween. Since i knew my schedule is so unpredictable, I decided that the best way to guarantee I would ready for Halloween was simply to write that chapter and this chapter at the same time. In retrospect that wasn't my best idea since I probably could have had this chapter done a week or two ago writing it by itself and not also writing the next chapter. Still thought I think it was a necessary sacrifice in order to get our Halloween chapter on Halloween itself. I hope you all look forward to that. As for this chapter I hope you guys liked the secrets and the fights. I did a lit of bit of experimentation this chapter having two smaller challenges instead of one single large challenge. I'm not sure it if turned out as well as I had hoped, but let me know what you thought of it. For the secrets I just went through the applications I received and tried to pick out what seemed like embarrassing information. Some of these secrets though will be important later on so keep them in mind. As for the fights I went with what seemed like realistic and also fun pairs. Originally I was going to write out all the fights, but it became difficult to make them stand out from each other. A lot of them ended up being so similar they were redundant, so I just condensed them into the montages. There were still 5 fights that I ended up writing out completely and I hope I did good with them. Writing descriptive scenes is not one of my strong points but I'** **ll work on it with any constructive criticism I get. The fighting challenge was actually a suggestion from** **t20n00 so I hope I did a good job with it.** **That's pretty much all I have to say about this chapter. As always let me know what you thought of the chapter, your OC, and the story so far. Hope you enjoyed and see you on Halloween.**


	9. Spirit's Revenge

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Always glad to see that I'm providing a challenge that people are enjoying.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ Good to know you enjoy your OC. I agree with you that Dante and Zelda's sibling relationship is fun to see develop. It's perhaps one of my favorite things to write currently. Of course I have plans for them beyond the sibling aspect, but you'll have to wait and see about that.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ I knew getting rid of Gonzo was going to leave quite a few people saddened, but they all have to go at some point. I don't think there's another elimination that will be as heartbreaking as Gonzo's for a while, but you never know. Hope you enjoy this upcoming Halloween chapter.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Thanks for pointing out those mistakes. If I have time I will definitely edit the old one to fix those up. I have gotten better with spelling and grammar, considering that was the main problem everyone said I should work on, but everyone still makes mistakes now and then. Glad to see you're interested in Kai and Ciara. Of course don't hatch your chickens before they hatch. This is Total Drama so no relationship is safe. Of course I could also just be saying that to make you paranoid and they'll live happily ever after. You just have to keep reading to see what happens. Sorry again about Gonzo, but humor can only carry a character so long.

 _ **ThorBringsTheThunder-**_ Are you sure you're not salty about Gonzo being eliminated? You seem a little passive aggressive in this review, especially towards Tom. Hope you enjoy the direction I take Ciara and Kai as I don't think it's the outcome most people would expect. I love to subvert expectations. I may have just said too much, but ultimately wait and see what happens. As for Gonzo and Maddie, don't worry I wasn't talking about you. I was having a conversation with another reader through DM and they brought them up as a future couple. I figured other people might have gotten that interpretation so I might as well have addressed it. You have a point about Dante and Zelda getting a bit too much time. I didn't intend for that to happen, and didn't even notice it. I love writing their sibling dynamic so much, but I don't want them to hog all the screen time so I'll try to balance things out more.

 _ **AZW330-**_ Ciara and Kai are definitely the hilarious pair. They work well together because she's so energetic while he's so chill about everything. They balance each other out and have great chemistry. Then there's the added bonus that he will actually laugh at her jokes. I am going to love developing the two of them. Still though this is Total Drama and you never know what's going to happen so keep on reading for the end. I can get why you would be annoyed by Dante, but I wouldn't really call him a white night. The dude is just a good older brother, or at least what his definition of a good older brother is. There will be some development for him so maybe by the end you won't hate him as much. Or maybe you might hate him more. We'll have to wait and see.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ I don't think I'll be doing aftermaths for this season. There's two main reasons for that. First is the fact that I've never written one and it's a bit out of my comfort zone. Secondly, with a roster of this size I don't know how efficient it would be. If I have one after every four eliminations I need to have six aftermath episodes. If I want to do the standard four aftermath episodes, then I have to have a minimum of 6 characters in each one. It just seems a bit to difficult for me to manage. Maybe in the future. Of course this could all change if there's enough fan demand and suggestions for how to go about handling the large cast. You know I've always wondered if people actually read this part so this is a good way for me to test it. Let me know if you want me to write an aftermath segment, and if so how should I handle the large cast.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. We got to know a little bit more about this crazy cast by unveiling quite a few embarrassing secrets. While not everyone confessed to their hidden shame, the truth had a way of coming out eventually. After that it was a game of one on one duels where losers got a one way trip to dunking down. In a shocking conclusion the Screaming Phoenix managed to win their first challenge, and the Killer Hydra sent their first teammate home. That teammate ended up being none other than Gonzo who's fear of water was too much for him to handle. How will the Killer Hydra recover from having voted someone off? Who will break under today's challenge? Get ready for the next spooky twist right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

In the middle of the night the contestants were all sound asleep. It wasn't long until their sleep was disturbed by a loud alarm going off across the entire island.

"What's that racket outside?" Aiden asked being woken up. His sleeping outfit was a plain black loose t-shirt.

"That isn't the usual siren Chris uses to announce the start of a challenge." Kyle pointed out. He wore a black tank top with red shorts.

"Well whatever it is we won't be sleeping any more until we find a way to shut it off." Johnathan said. He wore a red tank top with basketball shorts.

Seeing as how the alarm showed no signs of stopping they headed out of their cabin. The other contestants made their way out of their cabins as well, everyone still wearing their sleeping clothes.

"Does anyone know what's going on?" Ciara asked letting out a yawn. She had on pink pajamas.

"Seriously where's Chris when you need him." Koh said. She wore a black nightgown.

"Why don't we try going to the Mess Hall. Chef might be there." Kyoko said. "Even if he isn't it's probably not as loud there." She added. Kyoko wore a galaxy printed tank top with matching pants and loose black shoes.

When the contestants arrived at the Mess Hall rather than finding Chris or Chef, they found a mysterious briefcase. Suddenly the alarm stopped going off, but the doors of the Mess Hall could be heard locking behind them.

"Okay this is getting a little scary." Nicky said backing away from the briefcase slowly. She wore a cat onesie.

"Any volunteers to open that?" Aiden asked pointing at the briefcase. Koh rolled her eyes and approached it.

"Clearly we're doing something right if the alarm stopped. Let's just get this over with." Koh said.

She opened the briefcase to reveal a screen on top, and a bunch of papers inside. The screen turned on with a prerecorded message Chris had left. The message showed him standing on the dock by a boat.

"Glad to see you found our message. I'm sure you're probably wondering what this is all about. Hopefully you're all hearing this. Our intern team has recently discovered that this island is cursed by a vengeful spirit. This spirit becomes active every full moon, which tonight just so happens to be. You'll all be safe inside the Mess Hall, but just in case we've left all the information you need on the spirit. Everyone stay safe until tomorrow, or we might just have to skip a few eliminations." Chris said.

"Chris it's time to go." Chef could be heard saying in the background.

"Good idea Chef I'd hate to be on that island any time tonight." Chris said laughing. The message ended with him boarding the boat and sailing off far from the island.

The contestants looked at each other unsure of how to react to the message Chris had left them.

"This is just a challenge right. I'm sure there isn't any real vengeful spirit after us." Nicky said attempting to convince herself.

"Relax will you. Of course this is a challenge. Besides even if it isn't Chris said we would be safe in here." Koh said.

As soon as Koh had finished speaking however a large explosion went of destroying the doors of the Mess Hall.

"S-so much for b-being s-safe." AJ softly muttered. She had on a baby blue t-shirt that seemed slightly large on her with a pair of lavender shorts

"That was probably just one of Gonzo's planted bombs." Clifford said. "He left them everywhere before he was eliminated." He pointed out. His sleeping outfit consisted of a gray bandanna that was wrapped from the back of his head to tie in the front, a gray V-neck shirt with a graphic design that read "Eat, Sleep, Insult, Repeat" in bold, boxy black letters, black form fitting sweatpants, and black socks.

"That bomb couldn't be one of Gonzo's." Maddie said. "He knew he was most likely going home, so he asked me to help him plant them around the island. We didn't put any of them this close to camp though." She revealed. Maddie wore a blue hoodie pajama.

Genevieve rolled her eyes at the back and forth conversation going on with everyone. She got up headed out back to her cabin.

"Where are you going princess?" Miriam asked Genevieve. Miriam wore a midnight blue sleep tank with dark pink and black sleep shorts, and light pink bunny slippers. Genevieve on the other hand simply had a silver robe.

"Clearly this ridiculous challenge has everyone losing their sensibilities. I am going back to sleep." Genevieve said. Before anyone could say anything she left.

"D-don't you think someone should go after her?" AJ asked.

"There's no reasoning with her anyway. I'm not risking my safety for the stubborn brat." Sarah said. She wore a red shirt that had a yellow circle in the center and gray jogging pants.

"I agree. We should listen to Chris and stay here in the Mess Hall. Maybe we can go over some of the information he provided." Kyle said.

"Enough already!" Koh yelled out. "There is no spirit. This is a lame challenge designed by Chris. Let's just stay here since that's clearly part of the challenge, and be done with it." She said.

As soon as Koh had finished speaking though Genevieve was heard screaming from not too far away. A few contestants rushed out too see what was going on, but Genevieve was nowhere to be seen.

"Now do you believe there's a real spirit after us?" Kyoko asked Koh.

"There's a logical explanation for all of this. I'll just go to the intern's work space. I'm sure Chris has challenge plans on his computer. We can prove this is a challenge." Koh said.

"You'll never make it that far." Miriam said. "Genevieve couldn't even make it to the cabins and that's far closer than wherever the interns stay." She added.

"Hold on a moment. According to this the spirit can only capture one person at a time. If she is confronted by multiple people she will flee. All you have to do is take someone with you." Kyle said reading through the documents.

"I'll go with ya Koh." Aiden volunteered. The two of them headed off while everyone else went back inside the Mess Hall.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Honestly I can't believe they are falling for this. Luckily it gives me an excuse to reach the computer Chris keeps all his files on. That could be helpful." Koh said.

"Helpful for what?" Aiden asked. The view extended to show him sitting next to Koh.

"That's none of your business." Koh said glaring at him. "Did you really have to follow me in here?" She asked.

"Sorry mam, but they said we had to stick together at all times." Aiden said smiling. Koh responded by shoving him to the ground.

 **(Confessional End)**

Back inside the Mess Hall everyone was passing the time in their own way. Tom and Lucy were writing, Anthony and Sarah were toying around with some inventions, Kyoko and Zelda were playing with their stuffed animals, AJ was reading, Kyle was going through the documents Chris had provided, Miriam was listening to music, and the rest were playing a game of cards.

"How much longer are we going to be stuck here?" Maddie asked getting bored fast.

"We just need to wait for Koh to get back." Lucy said. She wore a white nightgown and had a silver sleeping mask on her head.

"Why don't we try going to sleep in shifts?" Nicky suggested.

Kyle briefly looked up from reading. "Bad idea there. It says anyone asleep during the full moon is a prime target for the spirit even if there are others around." He said.

"You seem to be quite invested in learning more about this spirit." Clifford said.

"I'm a big believer in the supernatural and paranormal. If this spirit is real I want to know all I can about it." Kyle said.

"Look I'm not going to wait around any longer. If this spirit is after us because of a curse then there has to be a way to break the curse." Maddie said.

Kyle looked through the papers and shook his head. "There's nothing in here about the origin of the curse or how to break it." He said. He scratched his head looking for an answer. "Still you have a point. Curses typically have a way to be broken." He added.

"If we go to my work shed I might be able to get enough equipment to build some paranormal detectors. It'll help us know when the spirit is near." Anthony said. He wore a white shirt, that had a picture of chemicals on it, black shorts, and red slippers.

"It's going to be risky going there Anthony." Sarah said. She looked at him concerned. "Are you sure you can't just use some equipment from here?" She asked him.

"There's not enough here to build a proper one. I'll be fine as long as someone comes with me." Anthony said.

"I'll go with you." Zelda volunteered. She wore a pink nightgown.

"No you won't. It's far too dangerous." Dante said. He wore a black tank top and grey shorts.

"Look Dante she's the smartest person on this island. I need her help if I want to build this fast." Anthony said.

Dante glared at Anthony and crossed his arms. "If she's going take someone else. I don't want the two of you alone." He said.

"I'll go." Sarah said immediately. The three of them headed off to Anthony's work shed.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm glad Dante didn't put up too much of a fight. I guess he realized just how important it was I go." Zelda said.

 **(Switch)**

"Hopefully I don't slow down Anthony and Zelda. I'm smart but I can't really compare to the two of them." Sarah said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Aiden and Koh were making good progress on the way to the intern's campsite. While they hadn't spoken much Aiden decided that he was tired of the silence.

"So Koh I've got to know. What ya think of our team?" He asked asked her.

"Considering we just got over our losing streak I don't know what you're expecting me to say. I hate pretty much everyone on our team." She said.

"Why's that darlin?" He asked her.

Koh stopped in her tracks and put her fist up to Aiden's face. "Never call me that again if you like having all your teeth." She warned him.

"Message received." Aiden said smiling at her. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Let's just keep going." She said.

"Ya didn't answer mah question Koh." Aiden said. "Why ya hate our team? He asked again.

"Well Genevieve is a spoiled rich girl, Lucy is socially inept and naive, Johnathan is a loser party boy, Anthony is a wannabe inventor, Zelda has zero backbone and can't even stand up to her own brother, do I really need to keep going. Miriam is the only tolerable one and even she can get on my nerves." Koh said.

"Well what do ya think about me?" Aiden asked her winking.

"You." Koh said before laughing. "Trust me cowboy you're better off not knowing. Words don't describe what I think about you." She said.

The pair made it to the campsite and saw that luckily one of the interns had still been logged into their computer.

"Aiden keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I'll look through this computer." Koh said. Aiden nodded and stood behind her.

She started scrolling through the computer looking for any indication of today's challenge. While there was plenty of information on future challenges there wasn't anything set for today.

"There's nothing here Aiden. This might not be a challenge after all." Koh said.

When she didn't get a response she turned around and saw that although Aiden had been there mere moments ago there wasn't any sign of him now.

"Aiden if this is a joke it's your worst one yet." Koh said nervously. She got up from the computer looking around for him. She audibly gasped when she saw a torn up cowboy hat covered in what appeared to be blood.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"He was right there with me. If I had been paying attention he wouldn't be gone." Koh said holding the torn up hat.

 **(Confessional End)**

"If this is the end for me I've got to finish what I came here to do." Koh said to herself.

She got back on the computer and left the challenges folder to instead enter the folder for each contestant. She stopped when she found one she didn't recognize.

"Who is Calista?" She asked out loud. Before she could look any further though a large female white cloaked figure appeared behind and Koh was consumed into the cloak.

In the Mess Hall the remaining contestants were starting to get irritated of being trapped in there.

"Max have you ever been in love before?" Ciara asked him while she stared at Kai who wore a pair of grey boxers.

"That's an odd question to ask when our lives are potentially at risk." Maximilian responded. All he wore was green pants.

"What about you Dante?" Ciara asked her other friend.

"You know how my last relationship ended." Dante said dodging the question.

Ciara continued to stare at Kai lovingly. Kai soon noticed Ciara and he waved at her causing her to blush. She went over to him.

"Hi there Kai how are you doing?" Ciara asked him.

"Been better. If I knew we were going to be here all night I would've put on a bit more clothes." He said referring to his minimal sleeping outfit.

"I think you look just fine Kai. Although if you want we can go back to your cabin and change. Maybe we can have some fun in the process." Ciara said flirtatiously.

"Isn't it unsafe to leave though?" Kai asked her.

"Not if we stay real close to each other." Ciara said brushing up next to him.

The two held hands causing Ciara to become completely red, and left to the cabin.

"Where are they going?" Kyle asked concerned.

"They'll be fine." Dante said. "I hope." He added softly.

Ciara and Kai were both feeling scared as they walked to the cabin together.

"I didn't expect the island to be so spooky during the night." Kai said.

"It doesn't help that there's a crazy evil spirit trying to get rid of us all." Ciara said. She put her head on Kai's chest in fear.

Kai gently lifted Ciara's head to make eye contact. "It's okay Ciara. I know you're afraid but we'll be safe together like you said. I won't let anything happen to my friend." He said.

Ciara pulled away from him slightly and turned around. "Friend huh. Kai I don't know if this is the fear talking, but I need to tell you. I love the fact that you laugh at my jokes... Nobody has ever done that. I know that makes us soulmates... and I think I love you." She confessed. She turned back around, but when she did Kai was no longer anywhere to be seen. Ciara dropped to the ground in tears.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Kai this is all my fault. If I hadn't looked away you'd still be here. That spirit will pay for taking my soulmate." Ciara said shifting from sadness to anger.

 **(Confessional End)**

"That's it I'm sick of waiting around for Koh or Anthony." Maddie abruptly yelled out startling a few people.

"Calm down Maddie there's not much we can do." Brett said. He wore a pair of white boxer briefs.

"We don't even know if Koh or Anthony are still out there. What if the spirit got them already." Maddie argued.

"If they have been taken, then what chance would we have. It's safer here." Tom said. He wore a short-sleeved white tank-top, and grey sweatpants.

"I agree with them. It's better to stay here." AJ said.

"Quit being a bunch of cowards. I'm going after that spirit and I'm going to need an elite team to help me out." Maddie said.

There were no volunteers for Maddie's team, until Ciara ran back inside.

"I'll join you. That spirit is going to pay." She said.

"Perfect now we need some muscle on our team, Brett and Dante you want to help out?" Maddie asked.

"If it means keeping you both safe then I guess I can help." Brett reluctantly said.

"I'll go, but only if we stop by and see if Zelda is fine first." Dante said.

"Next our team needs smarts. Since Zelda and Anthony aren't here Lucy you're probably the next smartest person." Maddie said.

Lucy looked at Maddie confused. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?" She asked. "Oh whatever I've always wanted to go ghost hunting." Lucy said eagerly.

"Kyle you're the expert. We could really use your help." Brett said.

Kyle thought it over for a moment then nodded. "I've read all the documents already, so I guess some first hand experience could help." He said.

"I guess I'll join in the craziness too." Maximilian said moving next to Dante.

"Heck yeah let's go ghost hunting." Johnathan said eager to join now that there were more of them.

"We just need one more member. Nicky come with us." Maddie said.

"Why do you want me?" Nicky asked.

"You're resourceful and I need someone small to help me out. I'd ask AJ but she'd probably faint at the idea." Maddie explained.

Nicky reluctantly joined them and the new team was ready.

"Alright Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad is ready to fight!" Maddie said heading out of the Mess Hall.

"We are not calling ourselves that." Dante said.

"Well it appears only the sane contestants are going to be left after tonight." Clifford said. Along with him remained Kyoko, AJ, Tom, and Miriam.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Now that Maddie's ghost killing squad has assembled we can take down this spirit and avenge those we've lost so far." Maddie said.

 **(Switch)**

"You know I'm still pretty sure this is a challenge, but going ghost hunting might be fun." Lucy said giggling.

 **(Confessional End)**

Inside of Anthony's work shed the three of them were hard at work finishing up the paranormal detectors.

"I think that we've just about put the finishing touches on these." Zelda said admiring their handiwork.

"I know we're fighting for our safety right now, but it was a lot of fun building these with you." Sarah said looking at Anthony.

"I know what you mean. You're the best partner I've ever had." Anthony told her.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"We we're supposed to be working on tools to save our lives, so why did I suddenly start feeling like a third wheel?" Zelda asked herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Sarah and Anthony both reached for the same bolt and their hands touched. They pulled away blushing.

"I'm sorry you go ahead." Anthony told Sarah.

"No this is your stuff, you can use it. I'll find another one." Sarah said.

Zelda rolled her eyes at their obvious infatuation. "I'm going to get a quick breath of fresh air." Zelda said heading outside. Neither Anthony nor Sarah heard Zelda leave until it was too late. As Zelda was consumed by the spirit's cloak she let out a deathly scream that could be heard across the island.

"That was Zelda." Dante said alarmed.

"Lets hurry." Maximilian said.

The group ran as fast as they could, but when they arrived all they found was Anthony and Sarah with no sign of Zelda.

"Where is my sister!" Dante yelled at Anthony lifting him up by his shirt.

"We don't know." Anthony managed to say through the choking sensation.

"Dante dude calm down. There's nothing they could've done." Brett said.

Dante dropped Anthony then fell to the ground himself. "She's gone and there's nothing I can do." He said punching the floor.

Ciara wrapped her arms around Dante's neck and sat down to comfort him. "The loss hurts, but we have to keep fighting for those we've lost." She said thinking about Kai.

"Your sis was a tough girl. She went down fighting, and she'd want you to do the same." Johnathan said.

"Zelda helped us to finish these paranormal detectors. They're watches that beep when they detect any otherworldly energy. The louder the beep the stronger the energy." Anthony explained. He handed out a watch to everyone that was present.

"Alright let's split into teams and see if we can't find this spirit." Maddie said.

"Wait what was the point of forming Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad if we're just splitting up?" Kyle asked.

"The watches also have a communication feature. We'll all still be in contact." Sarah said.

"See Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad will still be together, we'll just be in smaller numbers to search the island better." Maddie said.

The first team was Ciara, Dante, and Maximilian. The second team was Kyle and Lucy. The third team was Johnathan and Brett. The fourth team was Sarah and Anthony. The fifth and final team was Maddie and Nicky. They each headed off in a different direction hoping to find the spirit and a way to end this haunting night.

"I feel terrible that Zelda is gone because of us." Anthony told Sarah. The pair were in the forest looking for any signs of paranormal activity.

"I don't get how we didn't notice she wasn't there anymore." Sarah said.

"We were a bit distracted Sarah." Anthony admitted.

Sarah looked at Anthony and turned slightly blushing. "Do you think this spirit is real Anthony?" She asked him.

He looked down unsure. "I don't know anymore. I wish I could say that this was easy to figure out, but it just isn't." Anthony said.

As they were walking a large gust of wind suddenly picked up shaking all of the tree branches. Their paranormal detector watches started beeping slightly.

"The spirit is nearby. Whatever you do don't leave my sight." Sarah told Anthony.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He said. The pair held hands and continued to walk together. The wind continued to get stronger, and it was becoming more difficult for the pair to see.

"The wind is cutting off my vision." Anthony yelled over the harsh wind.

"Just don't let go and we'll be safe." Sarah yelled back.

The wind started to knock branches off the trees and into path of Anthony and Sarah. It was not only getting difficult for them to see, it was also getting difficult for them to continue walking. As the storm continued their watches beeped louder and louder.

"We need to turn around." Anthony yelled over to Sarah. The pair attempted to make their way out of the forest, but their attempts were in vain. Before being knocked unconscious by a falling branch the last thing the pair saw was the hovering spirit and her white cloak enveloping them.

In the Mess Hall those that remained were coming up with several different ways to pass the time. Currently they were playing charades. It was AJ's turn, but nobody seemed able to figure out what she was supposed to be doing.

"AJ we give up let's just move onto the next person." Clifford said.

"Oh okay then." AJ said before sitting down.

"So what were you supposed to be doing?" Tom asked AJ.

"It doesn't really matter much." AJ said.

"Okay this is getting boring. Why don't we draw caricatures of each other. Kyoko and Clifford can draw each other while AJ and Tom pair up. I'll judge." Miriam said.

"How is that fair. You team up the artists against writers." Tom pointed out.

"What's the matter afraid you'll lose?" Kyoko asked laughing.

Miriam thought for a moment and came up with an idea. "Alright then how about we test that. Tom and AJ work together to make an art piece while Kyoko and Clifford write a short story. I'll judge who's the best." She said.

"I'll take you up on that offer. Whether it be written or drawn there's no art form I fail at." Clifford said.

"You ready to take these two down?" Kyoko asked Clifford. The two got to work while Tom and AJ just stared at them.

"They're really into this game aren't they?" Tom asked AJ.

"It's better than being out there with that creepy spirit after you. I hope our friends are alright." AJ said. The two got what they needed for their art piece and got to work.

While they were having fun spending the night in the Mess Hall things weren't so fun for Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad. Johnathan and Brett though were making the most of their time together.

"We've been out here for quite a while. You think we'll end up finding anything?" Brett asked Johnathan.

"Who knows. It'll be cool to say we got to see a real ghost though." Johnathan said.

"Isn't a spirit different from a ghost?" Brett asked.

"Don't really know. I'm sure Kyle could answer that. Or Zelda, you know if she was still around." Johnathan said shrugging.

"Too bad we're on different teams. I think we would get along." Brett said.

"Yeah you're a cool guy. Of course Genevieve would freak if she saw us talking. That girl might be hot, but she has issues." Johnathan said laughing.

"I don't think Clifford would like it too much either. He's a cool guy, but something tells me he'd dislike the idea." Brett said.

The two guys laughed and continued walking around. Their watches started beeping and they looked around.

"Look out dude. That ghost could be coming from any direction." Johnathan warned.

"Don't worry man as long as we're together well be fine." Brett said.

The two kept their guard up and heard a sinister female laughter.

"So you two want to know the difference between a ghost and a spirit do you." The female voice said.

Brett and Johnathan tried to find the source of the voice, but there was nobody around.

"A ghost is tied to a single location, and haunts based off of unfinished business. Ghosts are often human in past lives. Spirits on the other hand are a different entity all together. Free to go wherever they please. They often serve as protectors." She explained menacingly.

"So are you a spirit or a ghost?" Johnathan asked out loud.

The voice merely laughed and suddenly the familiar white cloak appeared over the pair enveloping both of them. Before they were consumed though Brett managed to hit the communicator feature on his watch and sent a recording of their encounter to the remaining members.

Kyle and Lucy were on the cliff side when they got the message. They played it repeatedly trying to figure out what had happened to Brett and Johnathan.

"I thought you said the spirit couldn't capture more than one person at a time." Lucy said.

"That's what the document read. Unless I misunderstood it." Kyle said. He pulled out the document and read over it again. Lucy looked at it and made a startling conclusion.

"Kyle you weren't wrong, you we're just slightly off. In order to scare away the spirit two or more people need to make direct eye contact with her. Brett and Johnathan might have both seen her but they didn't make eye contact before they were taken." She concluded.

"That makes staying safe so much harder." Kyle said. "How are we supposed to both make and keep eye contact? He asked.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm supposed to be the paranormal expert now I've put everyone in danger." Kyle said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Lucy have you ever wondered about life?" Kyle abruptly asked her. "About the reason we're here and why things happen." He added.

"That's a random question Kyle." Lucy said.

"I like observing people Lucy. Get a look into what's going on. You're quite the enigma. A girl who's lost so much, yet remains so positive." He said.

"Kyle what are you talking about. You're freaking me out." Lucy said backing away from him.

"I'm sorry I got us into this mess. You're a good person Lucy, and I'm sorry this is how it all ends." Kyle said.

"Kyle I'm worried about you. Let's just calm down and focus on how we can get out of this." Lucy said reaching out to him.

Kyle pushed her away and stepped toward the end of the cliff. "I hope I see you again soon Lucy. You'll be fine but I need to apologize to everyone we've lost because of me." He said.

Before Lucy could react Kyle had taken the step off the cliff. What Lucy didn't know was Kyle jumped right into the spirit's cloak. She rose up and faced Lucy.

"You're friend sees light in you, but I know the truth. You have a darkness you've hidden from everyone, even from yourself." She taunted.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Lucy said stepping away slowly while keeping eye contact.

"I know the truth inside you. I can see the pain you've locked away for years." She said.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut Up!" Lucy yelled towards her.

"You can't hide from the truth Lucina Von Richter. You can't hide from yourself." She said.

The image of the spirit shifted from a white cloaked figure to a mirror image of Lucy. Every action that Lucy did the spirit copied exactly.

"Stop copying me. I'm not a bad person. I've never done anything wrong." Lucy screamed out.

"We both know that's a lie. It's time you embrace the light of your darkness." The spirit started glowing intensely. As the light diminished there was only darkness left with no sign of Lucy and no sign of the spirit.

There were only a few hours left in the night and those who stayed back at the Mess Hall had finished their previously assigned tasks. Miriam was finishing up the short story that Clifford had written.

"You two should really stick to what you're good at. This story is flawed and has some plot issues." Miriam criticized.

"We didn't have time to revise it. I'd like to see you do better on a time budget." Kyoko said.

"Well the winners of this contest are definitely Tom and AJ." Miriam said. The pair celebrated while Clifford and Kyoko just lamented their loss.

"I don't think it'll be much longer until the sun comes up." Tom said looking at the time.

"I wonder how the others are doing out there." AJ said.

"If Maddie's Ghost Killer Squad is as good as she claims then they'll be fine. Come on how about I show you guys the steps to my favorite dance." Miriam offered.

She turned up the music as everyone got into a line together. AJ looked out the window hoping that her friends would be fine.

While Ciara, Maximilian, and Dante hadn't encountered the spirit yet, they were having their own difficulties. The main one was having to cheer up Ciara who had started crying over Kai again.

"It's all my fault my soulmate is gone." She cried out.

"Max can't you do anything to cheer her up?" Dante asked not knowing how much more he could take.

"I'm not good at relationships." Maximilian said. "Haven't you had to cheer up Zelda before?" He asked Dante.

"Of course not. I make sure she doesn't get her heart broken so I can avoid this. I am terrible when it comes to cheering up girls." Dante said.

"I'm sorry Dante I'm being so incentive. I can't imagine how you feel losing your sister, yet all I've talked about is Kai." Ciara said.

"Hey it's fine. I know it must suck losing your soulmate or whatever." Dante said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"With Zelda gone I can't afford to lose anybody else. If anything happened to Ciara or Max I don't think I could handle it." Dante said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The trio continued walking when their watches beeped immensely.

"She's around here. Don't lose your guard." Dante said.

The trio kept their guard up on the lookout for the spirit. She appeared in front of them, but since they were all together she was forced to retreat.

"That's right you better run. Not so tough when we're not alone." Ciara said.

"So what exactly is our plan for when we capture this thing?" Maximilian asked them.

"Simple we make her end this curse, and return our friends to us." Dante said.

The three chased after the spirit trying to corner and capture her. As they were closing in on her a flow of storm clouds appeared out of nowhere. A hailstorm started which slowed down the trio. This gave the spirit just enough time to escape.

"We can take shelter in that cave." Maximilian said pointing to a nearby cave as the hail fell stronger.

They ran into the cave and were safe from the hail. Unfortunately, while they were safe from the hailstorm it was dark enough that the spirit was able to reappear. The last thing that was heard before the storm ended was Maximilian's cry for help.

"We had her. If it wasn't for that dumb storm she'd be ours." Dante said punching the cave wall. They exited as the storm had subsided.

"Dante I think this spirit is too much for us. The Ghost Killing Squad is down to it's last members and the nights almost over. Let's head back to the Mess Hall. At least there we won't be in danger." Ciara said.

Dante looked at her and sighed. "Ciara you know we both won't make it to the Mess Hall. We're too far away." He said.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Ciara asked him. Dante pushed Ciara forward.

"Run to the Mess Hall and don't look back. I'll keep the spirit busy." Dante said.

Ciara grabbed his arm firmly. "Don't do this Dante. I can't lose anybody else tonight." She said tearing up.

"You don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself. Besides if the spirit does get me, then at least I'll be able to see my sister again." Dante said.

The two shared one last hug and Ciara ran off to the Mess Hall. She heard Dante's struggle with the spirit, but it wasn't long before he went silent.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"First I lost my soulmate Kai, then I lost Maximilian my best male friend in this game, now I've lost my Dante. That spirit has taken to much from me. She's going to pay." Ciara said viciously.

 **(Confessional End)**

Nicky and Maddie were on the beach. They had been monitoring the other members of Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad and noticed Ciara was the only one left besides them.

"What are we going to do now Maddie?" Nicky asked. "We're all that's left." She said.

"Relax this is all according to plan. Once we defeat the spirit everyone will be safe, but we needed them to be captured first." Maddie said.

"I don't see how letting our friends get taken helps us out." Nicky said.

"Every time they get taken their watch has been removed. Since it detects paranormal activity I think it can't enter the spirit world where everyone is being held. They counter each other out. All we have to do now is gather the watches and combine them with one of Gonzo's planted bombs and we'll be able to destroy the spirit in a single blow." Maddie explained.

"How are we going to get all the watches though?" Nicky asked. "They're scattered around the island." She pointed out.

"True, but by following the pattern of where the spirit has attacked we won't encounter her while gathering the watches." Maddie said.

"You've thought of everything haven't you." Nicky said surprised.

"That spirit is tricky, but not as unpredictable as me. She'll never see this coming." Maddie said. The two began their quest to gather the watches from their fallen allies. As they did so they also spent time getting to know each other.

"Hey Nicky mind if I ask you a question?" Maddie asked her.

"Go ahead." Nicky said.

"Well you hate it when Chris calls you Kitty, yet you're wearing a cat onesie." Maddie said. Nicky laughed at her question.

"My sisters packed this in for me. I didn't realize until it was too late." Nicky said laughing.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think the nickname fits you. Kittens might be small, but they can be fierce. You could pull it off." Maddie told her.

"You think I'm fierce. I don't think so. I'm really shy." Nicky said.

"Come on you've got a lot of fight in you. Like when you yelled at Chris for falling asleep at the talent show." Maddie said laughing at the memory.

"It took me forever to compose that and he fell asleep. How do you expect me to react." She said.

"It's so cool that you composed your own music. Don't you need years of study for that?" Maddie asked surprised.

"Well I'm a bit of a prodigy when it comes to the violin. It's the only thing I'm good at." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I really misjudged Maddie. I thought she was just an eccentric pyromaniac, but she has a lot of heart to her." Nicky said smiling.

 **(Confessional End)**

Their conversation was cut short when their paranormal watches started beeping.

"That's not a good sign. Come on Nicky just a few more watches to go but we need to hurry." Maddie said.

"Mind if I hold your hand Maddie. This is getting a little too scary for me." Nicky said blushing.

"I don't mind if you don't." Maddie said. The pair interlocked hands and prepared to finish their quest.

Rather than going back to the Mess Hall, Ciara went to Anthony's shed and gathered whatever tools he had available. She also grabbed her guitar from her cabin and sat on a stump playing a solemn tune.

"Have you ever lost everyone you cared for in a single day." She asked out loud. She then turned slowly to see the spirit behind her. She continued playing her guitar.

"You're time has come. Join your friends in the spirit world and leave my island." The spirit said. She opened her cloak to absorb Ciara, however Ciara threw a smoke bomb to distract the spirit.

"You took everything from me, and you're going to pay." Ciara said. She threw a rope snare at the spirit tying her up.

"Do you really think that you a mere human can defeat an entity as powerful as myself." The spirit said. Ciara however responded by tripping her and knocking her on the floor.

"Nice try, but I read those papers on you. As long as you're in our plane of existence you're as helpless as a human." Ciara said. She was about to pick up the spirit and take her back to the Mess Hall when Kai appeared behind her.

"Don't do this Ciara. Come to the spirit world with me babe. I miss you." He told her.

Ciara angrily pushed Kai away revealing it to be an illusion. "You dare use my one love against me." Ciara said.

"I'd rather be destroyed then surrender the island to you heathens." The spirit said.

Ciara having had enough used knock out gas and a gas mask Anthony had to silence the spirit and drag her back to the Mess Hall. When Ciara arrived she was surprised to see that everyone was asleep. She decided to rest as well having had a long night. When she awoke a while later she was surprised to see not only those previously there, but Chris and Chef with everyone who captured.

"Ciara wins today's challenge for the Killer Hydra." Chris announced as everyone was awake.

"I told you all it was just a challenge." Koh said.

"Wait if this was a challenge how do you explain all of the abnormal things that happened?" Anthony asked Chris.

"It was all thanks to special effects and your mind playing tricks on you out of fear." Chris said laughing.

"So who's the spirit then?" Lucy asked pointing over at the tied up figure in a white cloak.

"None other than classic Total Drama contestant Izzy." Chris said. He took off the mask and it was Izzy in a high tech suit to resemble a spirit.

"And I would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling musician." Izzy said getting out of her costume.

"Izzy's costume contained a hidden compartment. Anyone absorbed into the cloak was actually just in a hidden compartment until she had time to release you." Chris explained.

"Wow I was really convincing." Izzy said looking at footage in a monitor. What she saw however was Maddie and Nicky about to confront a real spirit.

"That's not a recording. It's live. We need to hurry." Chef said. Everyone ran towards the beach hoping to reach Maddie in time.

"It's game over for you spirit." Maddie told her.

"Leave the island now or face it's curse." The spirit warned.

"How about I just destroy your little curse." Maddie said.

"Destroy me, and the curse will be transferred to you. You will lose that which you love most forever." The spirit warned.

"I'll take my chances if it means getting my friends back." Maddie said.

She threw her lighter towards Nicky who used it to set the fuse. As Maddie predicted the watches exploding contained enough energy to repell and destroy the spirit. Everyone else arrived shortly after.

"Well since Maddie just took down an actual spirit and saved the island, she gets today's reward. She chooses which Screaming Phoenix to send home." Chris revealed.

"Can I pass on that reward. I just spent all day trying to save everyone." Maddie said. She then collapsed asleep tired from the night.

"Okay Ciara you defeated our spirit. You get the reward." Chris said.

"Can I give it to someone else?" Ciara asked.

"Look I don't care at this point as long as someone goes home." Chris said irritated.

"Dante if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have been able to beat Izzy. You can have it." Ciara said.

"I'll take it and I'll use it to send home the person responsible for getting Zelda captured." Dante said.

Anthony looked down sadly and prepared to leave. Dante grabbed him before he could.

"Not you. You're stuff was helpful to helping us beat Izzy and the real spirit. I'm sending Sarah home." Dante said. Everyone gasped at his choice.

"I figured I'd get further than this, but I did mess up today." Sarah said.

Anthony went to her and held her hand. "I feel we were just getting to know each other and now you're leaving. I'll miss you." He said.

Sarah took a piece of paper from Tom and wrote on it before handing it to Anthony. "Here's my number. Call me after the game is over and we'll see how things go." She said. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked towards the Pendulum of Shame.

"Oh we're not using that tonight. You go off the island a different way." Chris revealed. Izzy, back in her spirit outfit absorbed Sarah into the cloak and flew off the island.

"Can we go back to sleep now?" Genevieve asked Chris. He shrugged and they all went back to their cabin only to groan as the sun began to rise.

"So much for sleeping. Will they be able to get any rest before the next challenge? Will they recover from tonight's haunting events? Will any more classic contestants come back?" Find out all this and more on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." Chris said ending things off.

Inside of the Killer Hydra cabin Maddie's lighter was shown glowing a dark red before everything faded to black.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro:The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake- The Serious One

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Brett, Kai, Clifford, Maddie, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, AJ, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Kyle, Johnathan, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, and Zelda

 **Apologies to** **TheReaper565 for eliminating Sarah. I honestly didn't know who to eliminate this chapter which is why the elimination segment at the end is so rushed. I originally had this be a non elimination since I didn't know who to get rid of with good reasoning. I had to change that though for reasons that should become** **apparent** **later on. Sarah** **unfortunately** **just ended up being the Screaming Phoenix member that I had the least amount of plans for so she was sent home. At least she got together with Anthony before her elimination, so she didn't go out on an** **entirely** **low note. Anthony and Sarah as a** **relationship** **is** **admittedly** **a bit rushed with a majority of the development being in this exact chapter, but I hope you still enjoyed how it turned out. I have a lot of relationships planned this season so that means that while some get amazing development, others end up a little rushed.**

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the Halloween chapter and enjoyed your Halloween. Sorry it was up so late. I got a double shit at work today, and then afterwards I was tired from taking my nephew out to get free candy. We went around almost the whole neighborhood and spent around three hours total. Still I technically did still upload this on Halloween so my promise isn't entirely broken. This was quite the chapter. As I said last time descriptive scenes aren't my best and this chapter had quite a few of them so I hope I did a good job. I also kept going back to the Mess Hall every now and then just to show what the "normal" contestants were up to. It was 100% safe in there so they just had a great time together. Hopefully it served as a nice break in between the suspense of Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad versus the spirit. There were also a lot of character interactions this chapter. Since this chapter took place entirely at night and the characters were all in their sleeping outfits I've now shown off all of their outfits. Normal, Formal, Swim, and Sleep. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that anymore. Since romance is such a cliche when it comes to horror films I stuffed as much of it as I could into this chapter. Of course we got Anthony and Sarah hooking up before her unfortunate elimination, but there's much more than just that. When I got the applications for this story it astounded me how many people wanted their OC to be in a relationship. There were only about five people that did not want one so that left me with 19 OCs wanting a potential romance. I know I can't give a romance to everyone, but I will please as many as I can. There will be a total of 7 couples by the end of this story. The first one has been confirmed as Anthony and Sarah so there are still 6 left. All 6 of those remaining couples had interactions this chapter. There were also a few others that had interactions designed to be a red herring. I can't make things too obvious now can I. I will also say that not all of the remaining ones will be male and female. There will be same sex couples in the story so there's quite a bit to look for. I think I made it rather hard to find definitive proof for who those remaining six couples will be so I look forward to seeing everyone's guesses. I'm going to take a small break since I'm still burned out from writing these two chapters back to back. I'm also going to be starting another Total Drama story very soon. Don't worry I've taken the necessary measures to make sure that story doesn't interfere with this one. That one will be a lot easier to write, and I've actually already written half of it. I was just waiting for the right moment to officially begin. That's all I really have to say. Until next time and remember even if you didn't read this on Halloween, I technically updated on Halloween so my promise wasn't broken.**


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**Review Responses**

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ It's good to see that you liked the chapter and that you liked Anthony's relationship with Sarah despite it being rushed. I wish I could've done more with the two of them. The Ghost Killing Squad was a lot of fun to write, and it's going to make a lot of development for Maddie soon enough.

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Always a pleasure to provide an enjoyable chapter for readers.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ I think this chapter may have had the most interactions other than the first one. Interactions are a lot of fun for me to write, so I'm glad they came out good. The Izzy twist was a bit of a last minute decision, but it worked out great.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Ciara was quite the star of last chapter wasn't she. You push someone enough and they'll break. Luckily she was able to take down the spirit before the spirit could break her.

 _ **Candela Monsoon-**_ I'm really glad that someone who didn't submit an OC is enjoying the story. The problem with a lot of SYOC stories that I've noticed is most readers are just people who sent in a character, and they often stop reading when their character is out. I'm glad you're enjoying, and I guess I must be doing a good job if someone else is interested. Hope I can continue to provide quality chapters.

 _ **TheReaper565-**_ Really sorry about Sarah again. I wish I could've done more with her, before she was eliminated.

 _ **AZW330-**_ I appreciate the kind words on the chapter. The interactions were a blast to come up with and write, especially for the "sane" people who stayed in the Mess Hall. They offered a lot of humor. Kai and Ciara aren't a couple yet, we'll have to see if Kai manages to actually catch Ciara's love confession next time. Looking forward to doing more with those two.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ Lucy does seem to have some secrets of her own. Only time will tell what those secrets are. As for Aiden, he is a villain, but I don't know if I'd call him the next Alejandro. Don't get me wrong, he's great, but he's not Alejandro.

 _ **t20n00-**_ Don't worry about being behind on chapters. With the rate I'm going I'm in no position to judge. Writing two chapters was hard, but it seemed to pay off. I'm glad you liked how I executed your challenge suggestion. If you've got more I'm willing to give them a try. I will admit, that you're right about me not having an even focus with characters. Some are getting a lot of time, while others barely any. I'll try to do better with this, because I don't want there to be any dead characters. Everyone should have something going on. Glad the rest of the chapter was enjoyable despite the flaws. Tom is a lot of fun for me to write, and I'm glad to see you approve of how I'm handling him. This is just the start for the writer.

 _ **Aleister Bloodrive VII-**_ The chapter was a lot of work, but it seemed to meet and surpass people's expectations. I do have more planned for Maddie, the Ghost Killing Squad was just a taste of the craziness she's going to bring soon enough.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. It was a dark and spooky night for our contestants as the full moon brought about a vengeful spirit. Everyone was instructed to stay inside the Mess Hall, but it seemed some were less willing than others to stay. One by one Maddie's Ghost Killing Squad was picked off by the spirit until Ciara managed to take her down. Shocking everyone, the spirit turned out to be Izzy, brought in by your's truly for the challenge. More shocking than that, Maddie ended up finding, and destroying a real spirit. Most shocking of all, Dante sent Sarah home as he blamed her for getting his sister captured. What thrills and chills will we have in store today? How will the contestants fair having gotten barely any rest from fighting evil spirits? Find out right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

The contestants were all gathered around the campfire. It was the middle of the day, and Lucy was shown holding a giant check.

"It's my pleasure to announce Lucina Von Richter as the winner of Total Drama Rebirth of the Island!" Chris announced.

Everyone cheered for her as she teared up. "I couldn't have done this without all of you." Lucy said in tears.

"Sure you could've. All you needed to do was lie your way to victory." Kyle told her.

"Lie? What do you mean?" Lucy asked him.

"Don't play around with us. You earned this. Honestly, people say I'm a villain, but it's clear you're the best liar on this island." Genevieve told her.

Lucy dropped her check and took a step back. "I haven't lied to anyone." She said.

"Come on, your whole existence is a lie." Izzy said appearing out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked getting paranoid.

The contestants, Chris, Chef, and Izzy surrounded Lucy and formed a circle around her. "Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar!" They all chanted.

"Shut up! Shut Up! Shut Up!" Lucy yelled as she fell to the ground and covered her face. She felt something hit her, and then awoke in her cabin, Genevieve having thrown a pillow a pillow at her.

"Will you quite screaming in your sleep? We barely got any rest since the night challenge we had, and now you're keeping us all awake with your incessant screaming." She yelled at Lucy.

Lucy sheepishly looked away from Genevieve. "I'm sorry about that. I've just been having a lot of nightmares recently." Lucy told her.

"I'm sure that most murderers have nightmares." Genevieve told Lucy.

Lucy furiously grabbed the pillow and threw it back at Genevieve. "How many times do I have to tell you people that I didn't murder anyone." She yelled at Genevieve before storming out of the cabin.

"Well perhaps now we can get some sleep before the challenge starts." Genevieve said getting comfortable to go back to sleep. Koh, Miriam, and Zelda looked at each other unsure of what just happened.

"I'll go check on her." Koh said getting out of bed.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That was odd. Usually she's one of the happiest people here. Unbearably happy sometimes. She's never shown any signs of being bothered by someone calling her a murderer before, so what caused her to snap?" Koh asked herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Outside, by the Mess Hall, Dante could be found doing what he usually does, working out. He was taking a break from his morning routine when he was approached by Tom who was holding his journal.

"Hello Dante, I was hoping I'd be able to talk to you before the challenge started." Tom said.

Date glared at Tom before answering. "What do you want?" He asked. "Make it fast." He added.

"I wanted to speak to you about the love letter addressed to your sister that you found the day Gonzo was eliminated." Tom said.

Dante quickly grabbed Tom's shirt and lifted him up holding onto it. "You'd better not have been the one who wrote that." He yelled.

"No. No. I didn't come here to confess. It wasn't me." Tom said panicking.

"Can you prove that?" Dante asked Tom.

"Yes I can." Tom said. He opened his journal and showed it to Dante. "This is my handwriting. It doesn't match the love letter." He said.

Dante examined the journal, and then put Tom down. "Alright, well if you didn't write that damn note what do you want?" He asked.

"Dante I''m going to be bluntly honest. You scare me. A lot. I want to help you find who sent this letter so that you can stop being so angry at our entire team. That, or at least you won't be so angry with me." Tom said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That wasn't an entire lie. Dante does terrify me when he's angry. And I genuinely do want Dante to not be angry with me. With him at my disposal looking for a letter sender that doesn't exist it'll be a lot easier to avoid elimination." Tom said.

( **Confessional End)**

Dante thought for a moment before extending his hand for Tom to shake. "You've got yourself a deal. We'll be partners until we find out who sent that letter to my sister." He said. Tom managed to hide his smile as he accepted Dante's handshake.

"I'm glad you believe me that I didn't send the letter. I was a bit worried the handwriting wouldn't be enough to convince you." Tom admitted.

"Well to be honest, you were low on my suspect list. I'm not an idiot. You're real close to stutters aren't you?" Dante asked.

Tom blushed and coughed slightly. "You mean AJ. Oh no no don't get the wrong idea. We're just um... we're just two people who both appreciate a good book." He said nervously laughing. "Oh look at the time I should be going now." He said. Dante merely rolled his eyes. Before the two men left, they were approached by Koh.

"Have either of you seen Lucy?" She asked them.

"I haven't." Tom answered.

"I saw her when I was jogging earlier." Dante said. "She was headed that way." He said pointing north.

"Thanks, hopefully I can find her. She seemed to be in a bad mood this morning." Koh said.

"I wasn't aware you cared about her." Dante said.

"I don't." Koh snapped. "I just want to make sure she's able to perform well for when we beat you in today's challenge." She said. She stormed off to where Dante had told her hoping she would be able to find Lucy before the challenge.

As for where she was, Lucy went over to cliff side where she and Kyle had been captured by the spirit last chapter. To her surprise, Kyle was sitting on the edge. It seemed as though he was waiting for her to show up.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Kyle asked Lucy as he saw her approaching.

Lucy sat down on the edge of the cliff next to Kyle."No. I've been having some pretty bad nightmares since we dealt with that spirit. I know the whole thing ended up being fake, but I can't seem to get over it. You probably think it's silly though." Lucy said.

"It's not silly at all. I've been thinking a lot about that challenge myself, about how I wish that I had done things differently." He said.

"Kyle you know it isn't your fault that the other members of the Ghost Killing Squad got captured. That was a part of Maddie's plan in the end, and besides it wasn't a real spirit we were up against." Lucy told him.

"You might be right, but still. I can't shake the feeling that it was my fault things turned out the way that they did. We lost the challenge, and lost yet another team member. We've only won once this entire time." Kyle said.

"None of that is your fault. Our team hasn't been the best at working together. There's not much that you can really do about that." Lucy said.

Kyle turned slightly and faced Lucy. "You're such an enigma you know that Lucy." He said.

"That's what you said to me before you got captured by the spirit. What do you mean by that?" Lucy asked him.

"Exactly what I said. You're an enigma, an oddity. That's not an insult, rather it's a compliment. I just don't understand how you manage to be such a positive person after so much tragedy has befallen your life." He said.

"Kyle the last time you said things like this, you walked off the cliff. Should I be concerned about you?" Lucy asked trying to change the subject from her.

Kyle laughed at her remark. "I knew the spirit was nearby when I did that. You have no need to worry yourself about me." He said.

"That's good." Lucy giggled.

The pair laughed together for a moment, when Koh arrived finally finding where Lucy had gone to.

"There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere." Koh said. "Are you alright?" She asked Lucy.

"Why wouldn't I be alright?" Lucy asked her.

"You threw a pillow at Genevieve and stormed out of the cabin angry. Nobody's ever seen you so angry before." She said.

Lucy blushed and covered her face embarrassed. "Oh I'm sorry about that. I guess I'm just a little grumpy because of the lack of sleep. I'll apologize to Genevieve later." She said.

Koh looked unsure, but shrugged. "Alright, well we had better get to the Mess Hall. I have a feeling our next challenge is starting soon." She said.

"You two go on ahead. I need to stop by the cabin and grab my diary. This morning will make a great entry for future Lucy to look back on." She said running off happily.

"She's so strange isn't she?" Koh asked Kyle.

"Yes, quite the enigma indeed." Kyle responded.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"The only thing that makes sense is that Lucy might be hiding something. She already has so many skeletons in her closet that I can only imagine how many more she might have. Still, as her friend I'll just have to observe until she's ready to talk about it herself." Kyle said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Later that morning, everyone was now gathered in the Mess Hall for breakfast. The majority of the contestants however were still tired from the previous challenge. Though they were given a day to rest, it was not enough to make up for the sleep they had previously lost.

"Hope you're all ready for another eventful challenge!" Chris yelled through his megaphone as he entered the Mess Hall.

"Can't you give us another day to rest?" Kyoko asked him.

"Hmm let me think about that." Chris said. "NO!" He yelled into the megaphone.

"Let's just get this over with." Clifford said. "What tortuous challenge do you have in store for us today?" He asked.

"Relax, you guys will like this one. We're doing a classic summer camp game, Capture the Flag. Each team will elect one person to be leader and coordinate everyone form the footage room where they'll be viewing everything. After that you'll separate yourselves into even teams of defenders and attackers. The defenders stay on their side capturing enemy attackers, while the attackers try to steal the flag back to their side. If a defender captures you, then you have to stay in the enemy jail until an attacker from your team helps you escape. The challenge ends when someone successfully steals the enemy flag, or if all of the attackers on a team get captured by defenders." Chris explained.

"You do realize that they have a substantial advantage over us don't you. They'll have one more attacker and one more defender than us." Miriam said.

"Well that's you're own fault for being on a losing streak." Chris said. He threw the Killer Hydra a purple flag and the Screaming Phoenix a red flag. He also gave each team a map and enough headsets for each team member. "Pick you're attackers and defenders, then hide your flag. The maps will let you know what area you can put your flag in, as well as the boundaries between each team. Finally, the headsets are a way for the leader to communicate with the teams as to what's going on. The challenge will officially begin in 30 minutes, so use that time to strategize." He said.

The Killer Hydra and Screaming Phoenix separated to each come up with their own strategy for the challenge.

"I think the first thing we should so is determine who will be the coordinator for this challenge." Anthony said.

"Clearly I should be the leader." Genevieve said.

"What makes you qualified for the job princess?" Miriam asked.

"I'm Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire. Ordering people around comes naturally to me. It's a trait that practically runs in my family." Genevieve said.

"Being leader is about more than just ordering people around Genevieve." Zelda said.

"I nominate Kyle to be leader." Lucy suddenly said.

Everyone turned to look at Kyle who had turned red. "Why do you think I could be a good leader for this?" He asked.

"Well you're good at observing people. A large part of this challenge involves observing the situation and giving orders based off of those observations. You just seem to be the best suited for it." Lucy said.

"Can't argue with that logic." Aiden said.

"Congrats dude, now let's get ready to win this." Johnathan said roughly patting Kyle on the back.

"Very well, you can be leader." Genevieve said. She walked up next to Kyle and whispered to him, "just know that if we lose you are guaranteed to go home. No pressure."

Kyle gulped nervously and then looked towards his team. "Okay, well we are going to have four defenders and four attackers. I say Johnathan, Koh, Aiden, and Miriam can be attackers while Anthony, Lucy, Zelda, and Genevieve can be defenders. They agreed with that decision, and quickly got to work on how they would set up their defense. They decided to have their defense comprised of several traps set up by Anthony and Zelda. Lucy and Genevieve would act as the first line of defense to lead enemy attackers into the traps they set up.

As for the Killer Hydra, they were having a bit of an easier time organizing themselves. The fact that they had an extra attacker and defender would help them out quite a lot. All they needed now, was to find out who would be their leader.

"So who should be the leader for this challenge?" Nicky asked.

"Why don't we just put it up to a vote?" Kyoko asked.

"That might take to long. Whoever we pick should be someone that's smart and good at strategy. We can't get rid of anyone too strong though so they should also be average or below physically." Clifford said.

They looked around to see who would fit that description, and then Ciara got an idea. "Why not Tom." She suggested.

"I guess I could do it if you guys want." Tom said.

"You do seem to be the best option for leading this challenge." Maximilian said.

"Well okay then." Tom said. "I think the best idea would be to balance our attackers and defenders with both strength and strategy." He said.

"Yeah that's a smart idea. That way both offense and defense will be killer." Kai agreed.

They decided to have their attackers be Brett, Maddie, Ciara, Clifford, and Maximilian. The defenders were Kai, Kyoko, Nicky, AJ, and Dante. They set up their defense to take advantage of the smaller sized girls on their team. Dante and Kai were set to be the front line of defense. The challenge officially began, and both teams of attackers went off to try and get the flag.

"May the best team win." Tom told Kyle. The two of them were in the editing room where all the footage was. They had several monitors showing their team attackers and defenders.

"Likewise, it's going to be quite the task focusing on so many monitors, especially when a lot of them are empty." Kyle said.

"It's better than being out there." Tom said. Kyle nodded agreeing.

The Killer Hydra attackers were wandering around the boundary of their territory. They crossed into the Screaming Phoenix area prepared to encounter any defenders.

"So where do you think that they hid their flag?" Ciara asked her fellow attackers.

"Logically they would hide it near the end of their boundary. It would take us longest to reach it, and give them plenty of opportunities to capture us." Clifford said.

"We should probably keep our voice down while we're in enemy territory. You never know who could be around the corner." Maddie told them. They nodded and proceeded to continue through the path they were on quieter.

The group walked for a bit longer when suddenly they walked right into one of the traps that the Screaming Phoenix had set up. Clifford got tied up, and hung upside down by a rope snare.

"We might be getting close to the flag if they've put traps around here." Maximilian said.

"Let's try to get you down from there as fast as we can." Brett said.

"No. You keep going. I'm sure their leader will report to them that we set off a trap, and it's not a good idea to stick around for when the defenders show up. Just leave me here and keep going." Clifford told them.

They nodded and continued going forward. As Clifford predicted, Kyle informed the Phoenix defenders of their captured Hydra, and they went to go pick him up.

"Great idea placing traps early into the boundary Anthony." Zelda told him.

"Well you were the one who was able to make a really good rope snare. If it was able to get someone as big as Clifford trapped, then it had to be really sturdy." Anthony said.

"You'll have to thank Dante for that one. When we'd go camping he'd make the strongest knots you've ever seen. He wanted to make sure that everything was as safe as it could be." Zelda said.

At the mention of Zelda's brother, Anthony frowned. "Too bad the trap didn't get him." He said bitterly.

"You're still mad that Dante eliminated Sarah aren't you?" Zelda asked him.

"I know that I shouldn't hold a grudge, but she and I were just starting to get close. Now I have to wait until the game is over to see where things go between us." Anthony said.

"If you ask me, I think things will work out between the two of you. When we were making those paranormal watches I could tell that you both had really good chemistry with each other." Zelda said.

Anthony smiled at her statement, but Genevieve started making forced gagging noises. "Please stop before I get sick." She said.

"What is your problem?" Zelda asked irritated.

"She's probably just mad that she's never going to find someone like that." Anthony said.

Genevieve rolled her eyes at his comment. "Please, you know how many people would beg for a chance to go on a date with me. There's nobody alive that matches my high standards though. The day I do end up with someone, I'm going to have to settle a lot." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Hooking up on a reality show is one of the most pathetic things that a person can do. Honestly, they're just humiliating themselves at this point." Genevieve said laughing sarcastically.

 **(Confessional End)**

They arrived where Clifford was tied up, and despite his best attempts, he couldn't get out of the masterful trap that Zelda had set.

"Anthony, you grab him by his legs, and I'll grab him by the arms. It'll be a tough job, but I think we can carry him back to our jail." Lucy said.

They positioned themselves to try and lift Clifford, but were having difficulties. "This is humiliating." Clifford said. "Just put me down, and I'll walk to your jail. It would be pointless to try and escape when it's currently four against one." He said.

Genevieve glanced down and noticed something odd near them. "You two go take him back to our jail." She said pointing at Anthony and Lucy. "You come with me." She told Zelda.

"What are you planning?" Zelda asked curiously.

"It looks like the mice have left a trail of cheese for the cats to follow." Genevieve said. She picked up a button and a small trail of silk.

"That's Brett's shirt. Since it's always ripping off he's leaving a trail straight to him and the other defenders." Zelda said.

"I literally just said that. Try to keep up next time." Genevieve told her.

Zelda and Genevieve followed the trail left behind from Brett's shirt while Lucy and Anthony escorted Clifford to their jail.

"I hope our attackers are doing as good as we are." Zelda said.

Unfortunately, the attackers weren't doing as well. They were currently escaping from Dante and Kai who had found them trying to sneak into the enemy base. They were spotted by Nicky and AJ who were the lookout from the trees.

"I think we lost em." Aiden said out of breath from running.

"Hey Kyle why didn't you warn us that they were nearby?" Koh yelled into her headset.

"Not so loud these things are really sensitive." Kyle complained from the headset.

"I'll show you sensitive." Koh yelled forming a fist with her hand.

"Ah! That really hurts. Look, I'm sorry. I was busy monitoring our defenders because the caught an enemy attacker." Kyle said.

Koh threw her headset in anger. "What good is having a coordinator if he can't multitask." She complained.

"Not so loud. We are still in enemy territory you know." Miriam said.

Sure enough, Koh's yells of anger gave away their location to Kai and Dante who were still in the vicinity. The two of them quickly grabbed Johnathan as he was the largest target for them to focus on.

"Nice going party boy." Koh yelled at him. "Looks like our coordinator couldn't warn us about this one either.

"You were the one who gave away our location. Besides, I don't see how Kyle would be able to coordinate us when his ears were in pain, also by your yelling." Miriam told her.

"Ladies, perhaps we can tussle when we ain't in the enemies hen house." Aiden said.

The three of them retreated back to their own area to come up with a new strategy now that there were only three attackers left on their team. Dante and Kai meanwhile escorted Johnathan to their jail.

"It was smart of the girls to hide in the trees like that. Since they're small it's hard for them to get spotted." Kai told Dante.

"Too bad that means I'm stuck with you." Dante grumbled.

"I heard that dude. Look, I don't want any problems, so why don't you just tell me what's the issue between us." Kai said.

Dante stopped walking and glared at Kai. There was tense silence between them before Dante spoke up again. "The problem is that I still don't know you sent my sister that love letter, and for all I know it could be you." He said.

Kai laughed causing Dante to glare harder. "Come on man, that's not my style. If I like a girl I'm just going to tell them. Sure some guys find it classy to send a love letter, but I'm more straight forward." He said.

"Wait someone sent Zelda a love letter?" Johnathan asked laughing.

"Shut up Phoenix, this doesn't concern you or your team." Dante yelled at Johnathan.

"Considering that she's on my team, I think it does concern my team." Johnathan said. "Honestly, I'm not surprised someone sent a love letter to your sister. She's hot, but if anyone told her that you'd probably put them in the hospital." He said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"He did not just call Zelda hot in front of Dante. He is so dead." Kai said concerned but laughing.

 **(Confessional End)**

Kai stepped away from Johnathan a bit concerned for his safety while Dante clenched his fist hard. "What did you just say about my sister?" He asked. "I dare you to repeat that." He threatened.

"Dude you seriously need to chill out. So what if I called her hot. That doesn't mean I'm trying to sleep with her or date her. It's just an observation. She's got looks, and guys are going to notice that." Johnathan said.

Dante punched Johnathan across the jaw roughly. "I'm starting to think you sent that damn letter." Dante said.

"She's on my team. If I was going to ask her out, I'd do it during a challenge when you're not around." Johnathan said. What's your end game here? Are you never going to let her get married? Is she not allowed to have a family someday?" He asked.

"I'm trying to make sure she doesn't have to deal with heartbreak." Dante yelled. "Is that so bad? Am I so terrible for wanting to protect my little sister?" He asked raging.

"You can't protect her from life dude. She needs to live, and that means heartbreak sometimes." Johnathan said.

Dante thought for a moment about what Johnathan said, but shook his head furiously. "Let's hurry up and get you to jail so we can win this challenge. Maybe I'll get lucky and you'll go home for being the first one caught." He said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Man I thought he'd see my point. Whatever I guess, some people just don't want to change. Nothing you can really do about that." Johnathan said shrugging.

 **(Confessional End)**

"He's a stubborn one isn't he?" Johnathan asked Kai.

Kai laughed and patted Johnathan on the back. "Dude I legit thought he was going to kill you. What are you crazy? You should now better than to call his sister hot to his face." Kai said laughing.

The two laughed together for a moment, but kept walking when they saw Dante glaring at them. "How is someone as flirty as Ciara friends with him?" Johnathan asked. "It almost seems like he hates relationships or something." He said.

"I have no idea man. I guess he treats Ciara a bit better since she's a girl so he doesn't have to be on guard as much." Kai said.

"Well she's your girl. Why don't you ask her how their friendship works?" Johnathan asked.

Kai looked at Johnathan a bit puzzled. "What do you mean my girl?" He asked.

"Come on dude you don't have to hide it from me. I know I'm on the other team, but you two are always flirting with each other. Not to mention the way she went ballistic after you got taken by the spirit." Johnathan said.

"She flirts with everyone dude, I'm just the only guy that flirts back. She's not my girl, she's just a great and hilarious friend." Kai said.

"You could've fooled me." Johnathan replied. The pair continued walking noticing that Dante had left them far behind.

Inside the control center Kyle was getting very frustrated with himself. While things started off well with the capture of Clifford, things were only going downhill faster. None of the other traps seemed to be working, making it harder for them to capture the enemy attackers. To make matters worse, Koh and Miriam had split up. The two of them had gotten tired of arguing over who was at fault for Johnathan getting captured so they went on their own. This now meant he would have to monitor even more screens at the same time. Currently he was talking with Zelda and Genevieve over the headset.

"So the trail you were following didn't lead anywhere?" He asked them.

"No his dumb shirt ripped off completely, so now we have no idea where they could be." Genevieve complained.

"I figured this was a possibility. He has a pattern with his shirt. First the sleeves start to tear, then he loses some buttons, a few more tears near the shoulder, and by the end the entire shirt just rips off. It was only a matter of time before we reached the end." Zelda said.

"Okay then you two go back to the jail. I'll let you know if any of our other traps go off." Kyle said sighing.

He took his headset off and rubbed his forehead in desperation. He turned slightly and saw that Tom has having no difficulty coordinating between his different teammates.

"Can I help you with something?" Tom asked noticing that Kyle was staring at him. "No not you. Hold on a moment." He said into his headset. He took it off and briefly faced Kyle.

"Sorry, it's just... well... how can you manage all of this?" Kyle asked him.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked him.

"I mean coordinating the different teams, and managing to keep track of all these different screens. I was chosen to be leader because I'm good at observation, but this is more than I expected." Kyle said.

"I shouldn't be giving advice to the enemy, especially not in the middle of a challenge, but let me tell you it's not as easy as it looks. I've made a system for myself that is working. You need to figure out something that works for you." Tom said. He put his headset back on, and got back to monitoring his surroundings.

"Find a system that works. I wish it was that easy. Last time I tried that I ended up getting everyone captured by a fake evil spirit." Kyle said to himself. He took a look at the monitor, and saw that Koh was headed right into the middle of the enemy territory. "Where is she going?" He asked himself. He tried to reach her on his headset, but she had taken hers off.

"Where are ya going?" Aiden abruptly asked Koh startling her.

Koh jumped back a bit, taken by surprise, and glared at Aiden when she saw him. "What are you doing here? I thought we split up for a reason." Koh yelled at him.

"Just cuz we split don't mean I can't follow ya." He told her. "So where are ya going?" He asked again.

Koh groaned at his insistence. "If you must know, I'm going back to see the computer we found last time. There were files on all the contestants, and it has information I need." Koh told him.

"That computer's in the heart of enemy territory. Sides' we're in the middle of a challenge. Can't it wait?" He asked her.

"When we aren't in challenges the interns are always there. I doubt they'll let me use the computer because I ask nicely. Look, I know that it's deep in the enemy's camp, but they wouldn't expect us to go anywhere near it. I need to do this." Koh said.

"Alright, I'll help ya out. Just tell me what's so important that you need to go there now." Aiden said.

"It's personal alright. Just tell me, does the name Calista mean anything to you?" She asked him.

Aiden thought for a moment and shook his head. "Can't say it does." He said.

"Exactly. There was a file for someone named Calista despite there not being anyone named Calista in this competition." Koh said.

"So what? Why ya care so much?" Aiden asked.

"I already told you it's personal. Now stop asking so many questions and help me out." Koh said.

Aiden nodded and the two of them headed to the intern campsite they found last challenge. There the computer would hopefully give Koh a lead on what it is that she was looking for. Unfortunately for them, the Killer Hydra decided to use the intern campsite as their main base for this challenge. It not only had supplies for them, but it was also in the center of their territory and easy to protect. Kai and Dante were easily able to grab the two of them as they entered from the front.

"Hey you guys came to rescue me." Johnathan told his teammates as they were put in the same jail he was in.

"Nice try, but maybe next time you shouldn't just walk up from the front." Kai said.

"You girls lookout for Miriam. She could be nearby as well." Dante ordered the three girls in the trees.

Kyoko, Nicky, and AJ each scanned a different direction of the surrounding area, and when none of them saw any sign of Miriam nearby they gave the all clear signal to Dante.

"This is a real easy challenge isn't it?" Nicky asked the other two girls.

"I g-guess so." AJ said.

"It's kind of boring though. Capture the flag is supposed to be a fun game of chase, but the way Chris set up the rules, all we're doing is just sitting in these trees." Kyoko complained.

AJ and Nicky laughed at her complaint. "Why didn't you ask to be an attacker if you wanted to be running around and chasing the other team?" Nicky asked her.

"Well the others seemed to have a good team synergy going. I didn't want to risk messing that up just because I wanted a role over the one I was given." Kyoko answered.

"Have I ever told you guys that I love our team?" AJ asked them.

"I don't think so." Kyoko answered. "What makes you say that?" She asked AJ.

AJ paused and blushed fiercely before answering. "Well it's just everyone's great here. We all get along so well, and everyone's so nice. Even Dante, who can be really scary has shown a softer side every now and then. I feel like I've grown so much just by meeting all of you. I don't even stutter as much anymore." She said.

"Aww it seems little AJ is all grown up now." Kyoko teased.

"K-Kyoko s-stop that." AJ said flustered.

"So much for not stuttering anymore. You were making so much progress too." Nicky said joining in the teasing.

"N-Nicky, not you too." AJ getting even redder than she already was.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't tease. I hate it when my sisters do that to me so it'd be a bit hypocritical of me to tease you." Nicky said.

The three girls shared a laugh together. "Ladies, I really hate interrupt, and I hate to eavesdrop even more, but we are still in a challenge." Tom told them through his headset. The three turned off their headsets and laughed even harder.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I meant what I said. I love my team so much. Voting off Gonzo was hard, and I hope we can keep winning, because these are some of the best people I've ever met. I probably would've been voted off first on the other team." AJ said tearing up.

 **(Confessional End)**

While the Screaming Phoenix only had Miriam left as their attacker, the Killer Hydra were doing a much better job. They had managed to avoid more of the traps that had been set by Anthony and Zelda. The only problem however, was that they were nowhere close to finding the enemy flag.

"I feel like we've gone everywhere and we still haven't found their flag." Maximilian said.

"We can't have gone everywhere. We haven't found the enemy camp either." Ciara pointed out.

Suddenly, Maddie was hit with a genius idea. "Of course, it all makes sense now." She yelled out.

"Care to enlighten us?" Maximilian asked.

"We haven't found the flag because we haven't found their camp. They hid the flag the same place they set up camp." Maddie said.

"That's a risky idea. If we got the other attackers out of their jail we would be right next to their flag." Brett pointed out.

"That's exactly what we'll do. All we have to do is set off two of their traps and let two of us get captured. Then the other two will secretly follow them back to their camp. We break everyone out of jail, grab their flag, and win the challenge." Maddie said.

"That sounds even more risky than what they have planned. What if we can't break everyone out of jail in time and we all get captured. That would lead to us losing." Maximilian said.

"What do you think Tom?" Ciara asked.

There was silence over the headset for a moment while Tom considered his options. "It's a risky play, but I think Maddie's Trojan Horse idea is our best bet to win this challenge quickly. We have a major advantage on both attack and defense, but this would win us the challenge for sure." He told them.

"Alright then. Brett and Ciara, you two get captured while Max and I follow in secret." Maddie said.

Brett and Ciara went off to set off the closest trap they could find in hopes of luring the defending members of the Screaming Phoenix to their them. Kyle meanwhile was having more and more difficulties with trying to organize a way for them to win.

"Miriam are you sure you can't break into the enemy camp and free everyone else from jail?" He asked her.

"It would be one against five. I'm good, but I don't like those odds at all." She said.

"So what you just want to give up?" He said.

"Of course not, I want to wait and see how long we can drag this out. I'll stay out of sight and avoid getting caught. The best thing you can do now is tell our defense to capture the enemy as fast as they can." Miriam said.

"Alright then." Kyle agreed. He noticed that two of the traps previously set off were triggered, and he alerted the defense team. "You have two different traps set off. I guess they must have split up to cover more area. Go ahead and pick them up to take back to jail." He told them.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Why is this so difficult!" Kyle yelled. "I'm so fed up and frustrated with this challenge. At least our defense is doing well so I'm not entirely failing as a leader." He told himself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Brett and Ciara were thrown into the jail with Clifford once they were escorted back into the camp. They briefly saw Maximilian and Maddie in the distance looking for an easy way to get into the camp and free them from the jail.

"Ciara try flirting with Anthony. It'll distract him long enough to buy the others some time." Brett whispered.

"That won't work, he's with Sarah remember. Besides, flirting with him would be wrong even if he was single." She said.

"You flirt with everyone. What would be the issue here?" Clifford asked her.

"The issue is that I'm with Kai now. I can't do that to my man." She said. "You don't hurt a soulmate like that." She added.

"Your man?" Brett asked confused.

"Yes. I'm surprised you guys didn't know. Don't you always see us flirting with each other? Not to mention how much it hurt when I thought he was taken by that evil Izzy spirit. I'm his girl and he's my man. We're soulmates." Ciara told them.

"You could've fooled me." Clifford replied.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Okay I know I haven't officially asked him out, but it's been hard. The last time I tried he was captured by an evil Izzy spirit. I'll ask him after the challenge today." Ciara said smiling."

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well if you won't flirt, then I'll create the distraction myself." Brett told Ciara. "Excuse me, but can I have a blanket or something. I'm all out of shirts and it's getting cold." Brett told the Screaming Phoenix defenders.

"Why would we have one of your disgusting shirts?" Genevieve asked him.

"We do have the remains of the shirt we were following in hopes of tracking them." Zelda said.

"Can I have that please. It won't fit well, but it's better than nothing." Brett said.

"Lucy stay here and watch them." Genevieve ordered.

The other three went to go look for where they had placed the remains of Brett's ripped shirt. Maddie and Maximilian used this as their opportunity to storm the base. Maximilian sneaked to the jail while Maddie went for the flag.

"Alright this is what we found." Zelda said before noticing Maddie and Maximilian.

"Get those two." Genevieve yelled.

Genevieve and Zelda ran to stop Maddie from grabbing the flag while Anthony helped Lucy protect the jail. Maximilian slipped past the two of them however and opened the jail for his teammates to escape. As for Maddie, she grabbed the flag, but had nowhere to run with Genevieve and Zelda backing her into a corner.

"Give us the flag, go back to the jail, and lose the challenge already." Genevieve yelled at her.

"If I can't have this flag nobody can!" Maddie yelled. She pulled out her lighter and set the flag on fire before tossing it on the ground and laughing manically.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked to see the flag burning. "The game is called capture the flag, not destroy the flag. You should be eliminated for this ridiculousness." Genevieve said.

"I agree with her. We should win the challenge since it's literally impossible for you to get the flag back to your camp now." Anthony said.

"Why don't we let Chris decide what is going to happen." Clifford said.

They turned to look at a nearby loudspeaker knowing that Chris was watching all that had occurred. "The winners of the challenge are the Killer Hydra!" He announced. The Killer Hydra cheered while the Screaming Phoenix looked shocked. Genevieve in particular began angrily dismantling their campsite.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"The game is capture the flag. When a lunatic burns the flag they should be punished, not rewarded." Genevieve yelled.

 **(Confessional End)**

Both teams gathered by the cabins now that the challenge was over. "Congrats on winning yet another challenge Killer Hydra." Chris told them.

"How does burning a flag result in victory?" Genevieve asked him clearly still angry.

"Who said anything about burning a flag. The Killer Hydra won because all the defenders on Screaming Phoenix were captured." Chris revealed.

Kyle looked at the defenders confused. "Maddie, when did you get captured?" He asked her.

"They snuck up on me while I was distracted looking at some smoke in the distance. I was worried there would be a forest fire, but I guess it was just Maddie being Maddie." Miriam revealed.

"Well it's too bad. Get ready for another elimination ceremony Screaming Phoenix. There's quiet a lot of people responsible for today's loss so I can't wait to see who goes home." Chris said.

As the Killer Hydra walked off to relax, Ciara approached Kai. "Hey Kai, do you have a minute?" She asked him. "I needed to ask you something important." She said.

"Hang on a minute Ciara." Kai said. She waited patiently and saw that Kai was talking to Brett. What they were talking about she was unsure. "Sorry about that." Kai said as Brett headed off. "Brett wanted me to teach him how to surf, but I told him I wasn't sure if I had any surfboards that could handle all his muscle." Kai said.

"I hope you have a surfboard that's able to handle me Kai." Ciara flirted.

"That depends on how extreme our surfing would be." Kai joked back to her.

"Hey Kai, Anthony said he could reinforce one of your surfboards before he goes to vote." Brett yelled over to Kai.

"That's awesome Kai. We should probably get going." Kai yelled back. "Stay hilarious Ciara." He told Ciara before running off with Brett.

"I'm so stupid. Instead of telling some dumb joke I should've just asked him out." Ciara berated herself before going into her cabin.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Something's not adding up. First Ciara says that she and Kai are together, but now he's ditching her to hang out with Brett. I've got to figure out what's going on." Maximilian said.

 **(Switch)**

"Another challenge lost, another teammate gone. It wouldn't be too bad if I went home today. At least then the nightmares would hopefully stop." Lucy said.

 **(Confessional End)**

At the campfire ceremony the Screaming Phoenix were looking nervous for the elimination. Chris stood with eight marshmallows on his tray. "I've got to know, do you guys suck this much naturally, or do you work hard at it?" He asked.

"Get on with the elimination already." Koh said.

"Alright then fine. You guys probably have this memorized with how often you're here. Don't get a marshmallow equals eliminated equals Pendulum of Shame. Yadda Yadda Yadda, no more million dollars for you." Chris said. He began to announce those that would be safe.

"Johnathan" He pumped his fist in the air and grabbed his marshmallow eagerly.

"Anthony" The inventor grabbed his marshmallow thinking only of winning for Sarah

"Aiden"

"Well alright then." He said as he got his.

"Genevieve" The heiress picked hers up glaring at Miriam and Koh who she blamed for losing.

"Zelda" She grabbed her marshmallow, but looked glum about her team still losing.

"And Lucy" Lucy was shocked that she had been safe, but eagerly picked up the marshmallow.

"Koh, you decided to further your own secret agenda and it caused your team greatly, Miriam, you were the last one who needed to be captured, and you couldn't survive long enough to win, Kyle, you were the team leader and coordinator, but you let your team down big time." Chris said. "One of you will be going home today. That person is.

.

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Kyle." Chris revealed.

"Why Kyle? Koh was the reason that we lost." Lucy complained. Koh glared at Lucy for that remark, but Lucy ignored it.

"I asked the other guys to vote for me Lucy." Kyle revealed.

"But why?" Lucy asked.

"I needed to get out of the game. Clear my head a bit. Relax without the pressure of the competition. I have no excuse for performing so badly today. Tom was great at coordinating his team, but I barely managed to do anything right." He said.

"I hope you don't blame yourself too harshly." Lucy told him.

"There you go again being so nice. I think if I have one regret about being eliminated today it's that I never got a chance to solve the enigma that is Lucina Von Richter." Kyle told her.

"How sweet, but it's time to get into the Pendulum of Shame." Chris said.

Kyle nodded and took his elimination gratefully.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That was too close. If it wasn't for Kyle's guilt there's no doubt I would have gone home. I can't lose focus, not when I'm so close. I need to get back to that computer as fast as I can, because whoever Calista is, I think she's the key to finishing what I came here to do." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Something tells me the Screaming Phoenix aren't going to be reviving anytime soon, not with Koh so fixated on that computer." Chris said. "Will she find the information she is looking for? Just who is Calista? Will Ciara ever get a chance to tell Kai how she feels about him? Find out all this and more next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." He said ending off the episode.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro:The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Brett, Kai, Clifford, Maddie, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, AJ, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Johnathan, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, and Zelda

 **Apologies to** **Nikolai777 for Kyle's elimination. Seeing as how you have two characters accepted into this story, I knew from the beginning that one of them would be cut relatively early. I think Miriam has a lot more potential than Kyle. That's not to say that Kyle is a bad character, he was a lot of fun to write. His downfall was his trauma from the last challenge. Seeing as how a large part of his character is his interest in the paranormal and superstition, having an encounter with a spirit, both a real and fake one, is bound to affect him. That, along with his sense of loyalty and guilt for getting everyone captured last time spelled his doom. Looking back at it, I could've eliminated him last chapter and eliminated Sarah this chapter just so she and Anthony could have a slightly less rushed relationship, but live and learn I guess. This chapter had a relatively large focus on him since I knew he was going home, so I hope you enjoyed what I was able to do with him.**

* * *

 **A/N: Thus ends the longest hiatus this story has ever seen. Hopefully I still have readers left after keeping you all in the dark for so long. I bet you're probably all wondering where I've been. It's never taken this long to have a new chapter before. I'd honestly recommend skimming through the past chapters just to get a refresher on the story so far.**

 **Sorry about the 3 month wait, but let me just say that was in no way intended. I took a few weeks as a break from this after I was tired from writing the last chapters back to back. I also started on my other story that is a lot easier to write than this one. Once I got back to working on this chapter, I got hit with the worst case of writers block I've ever felt. I knew what I wanted to happen this chapter, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I wanted it to happen. Once I managed to get through the writer's block, I lost the opportunity to write because the holiday season was coming, and I was working insane hours. Any time I didn't spend working I was with my family relaxing and having fun. I planned on getting this chapter out on Christmas as a gift to readers, but I didn't finish the chapter in time. I then decided to release it at Midnight on January 1st to celebrate the new year. I think I might be cursed or something because the worst luck seems to hit me. My device on which I write all of this completely crashed. In retrospect it probably would've been faster to buy a new one, but I've had this for a while now, and was sentimental about it so I went to get it fixed. It took a few weeks to get it fixed, but all my files were corrupted. That meant I had to rewrite the entire chapter. Since I knew it would take too long to rewrite the whole thing, I shortened it, only keeping the parts I felt were most important. That leads us to now with the chapter finally done.**

 **I got a lot of PMs asking me about the story in these 3 months. It brings me so much joy to see that you all care so much. While not everyone was 100% kind about it, I understand the impatience. Let me just say that I have every intent to finish this story. If for any reason I can't do that, you'll know right away. You won't be in the dark for half a year, and then get a new chapter that's just telling you the story is cancelled. I know it seems we aren't making much progress on this story, but next chapter we'll have eliminated 25% of the cast. It's been slow, but progress is being made. Let me know what you thought of the chapter. Personally, I find it a little weak, but rewriting an entire chapter would've taken too long so I had to condense it.**


	11. Love me or Fear me

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Koh is being fun to write, so I'm glad that you think she is being written well. It makes me happy to hear I keep doing a good job with her.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ I don't think anybody could end up like Team Victory. The Screaming Phoenix might be on a losing streak, but they are still doing much better than Victory did. Now let's just hope that they can break their losing streak.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ Glad to be back. Chapters are still taking a bit longer to put out than I like, but as long as I keep making progress and people keep enjoying then we'll get to the end someday. Putting Brett's running gag as strategy was an idea that I wanted to explore because it's not often that comedy combines so well with strategy. As for having a patter, don't worry there won't be a definitive pattern. Zelda was just making an observation, but the pattern won't be the same every time. Glad you liked how Kyle went out. He's a kind guy who felt guilty and wanted to make up for it.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Glad to see that Kyle's elimination is resonating well with readers. The chapter didn't turn out as well as I wanted it to, but if readers are enjoying it, then I suppose I'm doing a good enough job. As for Ciara she's a kindhearted person despite her flirting. I'm glad you agree that she wouldn't flirt with someone who was already taken. It's your character so I suppose you know her better than I do, but I'm still glad we agree on that.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ Really grateful you don't mind the wait. I think I may have lost some readers after it took months for me to come back, but I understand it completely. With the terrible track record that SYOC stories have I wouldn't doubt it if they thought I just cancelled the story after being gone for months. I'm glad I still have a good amount of people reading and giving me feedback, whether it be in PMs or in reviews. Glad the challenge and the elimination were good in your opinion. I personally don't like how I handled some parts of it, but if readers enjoy it then my job has been done. Regarding Zelda and the letter, let's just say that the answer to that may be more obvious than you expect.

 _ **Guest-**_ So there was a guest review, but it's not showing up for some reason. I'll still reply just in case whoever left it comes back to this story at some point. The review was another complaint about Zelda and Dante hogging the screen time, and hoping they get eliminated. I understand this complaint entirely. I admit that I've put way too much focus on the siblings, and I'm trying to my best to give other characters the spotlight instead of them. Let me just say that both siblings will not make the merge, so you won't have to deal with both of them for too much longer. The Zelda and Dante plot has overtaken a lot of the episodes, but I can promise you that it is coming to a close soon enough.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. A game of capture the flag was held between our two teams. We had our attackers who were out to capture the flag as soon as the could, and the defenders who were tasked with stopping the attackers. While Tom was able to handle leading the Killer Hydra, Kyle had a much more difficult time with managing the teams. It was a pretty one sided game favoring the Hydra. Tom decided to work together with Dante to find out who sent the love letter to Zelda. Ciara tried to confess her feelings to Kai, but just kept failing. Lucy had a nervous breakdown, while Koh tried and failed to get back to the interns computer for some reason. In the end Kyle took the pendulum ride off the island after he was consumed with guilt for leading his team to failure, and he got pretty much everyone to vote for him. With the Screaming Phoenix on one of the longest losing streaks we've had, will they ever be able to catch up? Will love be in the air for our contestants? Find out right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

At the crack of dawn, while the sun was barely starting to rise, most of the contestants were sound asleep. Ciara however was wide awake sitting on a bench writing out several different ways to confess her feelings for Kai. Flirting with her so called soul mate was easy, but then again flirting with anyone was easy for her. She needed a way to confess her feelings that she was sure he wouldn't miss, especially after how he had missed the last two times. She crumbled up her latest attempt and threw it on the ground in frustration. Ciara was so lost in thought that she didn't notice one of her teammate sit down next to you.

"What are you doing?" They asked her. Ciara jumped up in surprise, and turned to see that this mystery person was none other than Brett. Once her heart rate had calmed down from the surprise she sat back down next to him.

"Don't sneak up on people Brett. I didn't know anybody else was awake." Ciara told him.

Brett shrugged slightly. "I'm a bit of an early bird. I'm usually the first guy who's awake from our cabin, so I go out for a morning jog. When I saw you sitting here I got a bit interested in what it was that you're doing." Brett told her.

"Well if you really want to know, I'm working on a way to tell Brett my feelings. As you can see I'm not having any luck. I wish this was as easy as flirting because I have no idea what I'm doing." Ciara said. She grabbed another of her writings and threw it on the ground with the growing pile that she was making.

"I thought Kai was already your guy?" Brett asked Ciara. "That's what you told us in the last challenge when we wanted you to flirt with Anthony." Brett pointed out to her.

Ciara sighed and started to gather the pile of crumbled of paper she had made. "I know I said that, but we aren't entirely together yet. I know we'll be a great couple, but first I need to find some way to tell him how I feel and make sure he actually hears what I have to say." She said.

"I can try to help you out. I think the two of you would work well, and I'm more than happy to see things work out." Brett told her.

"I can help too." Maximilian said suddenly appearing before the two. Ciara jumped in surprise once again at Maximilian's sudden appearance in their conversation.

"Is anybody else going to startle me today?" Ciara asked laughing through her startled state.

Brett and Maximilian laughed together with her. "I'm sure Dante would be more than willing to help out as well." Maximilian told Ciara.

Brett looked at Maximilian a bit confused. "Isn't he a bit too anti-romance? I wouldn't expect he'd be willing to play matchmaker with us." Brett said.

"Well Ciara isn't his sister, so he has no reason to be against helping her get together with Kai. I'll go talk to him. Right now he's just about finished his morning workout, so I'll know where to find him." Maximilian said.

"You memorized his workout schedule?" Ciara asked surprised.

Maximilian shrugged as he started to walk of towards where Dante would be found. "I'm basically his only friend on the island other than you. If I don't spend time with him, then he's not going to have anybody to keep him company." He said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"How lucky am I that my friends are willing to help me out. My best friend back home Scarlette is great, but she's never gone to the length that Max and Brett are going to help me get with a guy." Ciara said. "Love you anyway Scarlette." She added waving to the camera.

 **(Confessional End)**

"I appreciate what you're doing for me." Ciara told Brett.

"Don't worry about it. Anything for a teammate." Brett told Ciara. As he extended his arm to hug her, a button on his shirt popped off, and hit Ciara in the arm.

"I think that's a new record for how fast your shirt starts ripping." Ciara told him.

Brett grabbed the button, and put it in his pocket. "Nah, I go through quite a few shirts throughout the day. It wouldn't be the first time I end up shirtless before noon." Brett told her.

"Do me a favor Brett, if you win the million dollars, promise me you'll use that money to invest in some shirts that won't rip so easily." Ciara told him. Brett smiled and nodded at her. The pair exchanged a brief hug, and went their separate ways.

Some time later, as most of the contestants were now waking up, Lucy was writing in her diary as usual. She seemed much more cheered up compared to how she was the previous days. Since Kyle's elimination she was able to think more about what he had said. Her nightmares seemed to have gone away, and she was overall having a much better state of mind.

"Just what exactly is it that you're writing in that diary of yours?" Genevieve asked Lucy.

Lucy looked at Genevieve and giggled. "If I told you what I wrote in my dairy, then it wouldn't be private anymore now would it." She said innocently.

"What exactly are you hiding from us. Your personality seems to change whenever you feel like, and I'm honestly starting to think that little miss cute and innocent is nothing more than act." Genevieve told her.

"Will you leave Lucy alone princess." Miriam complained.

"You have to agree with me girls that there's something suspicious about her." Genevieve said. "I don't trust anybody that doesn't have some darkness in them, and Lucy is hiding her dark side in that diary." She said.

Lucy looked at Genevieve and burst out in laughter. "You really think that I have a dark side hidden in my diary. That's hilarious Genevieve. The girl who was accused of murder before she was even a teenager, and lives in a foster home is hiding a dark side that can only be found by reading her diary. That's the best joke that I've heard in years." Lucy said walking out of the cabin in tears from how hard she was laughing.

Genevieve glared at Lucy as she was leaving and turned back to Koh, Miriam, and Zelda. "Zelda, you and I don't get along at all, but you're smart enough to see my point. Don't you find it suspicious that Lucina never lets anybody see her diary. Not to mention she acting like a lunatic not to long ago, yet is now acting as though nothing happened." She told Zelda.

Zelda adjusted her glasses and looked at Genevieve flatly. "If I'm being honest, I think this is nothing more than an obvious ploy by you. You know that you are the most despised person on our team, and you want to turn us against Lucy to save yourself at our next elimination. Perhaps Lucy is hiding something in her diary, but she is entitled to her own secrets. I will respect those secrets until she chooses to divulge them to me, or anyone on our team." Zelda said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Is she serious? I am clearly the only one on this team who bothers thinking because she is blindly trusting someone with a shady history at best." Genevieve complained.

 **(Confessional End)**

At the Mess Hall, most of the contestants were eating their breakfast. Dante and Maximilian took a seat next to Ciara who was staring over at Kai nervously.

"Good news, Dante said he's willing to help us out." Maximilian told Ciara.

"You mean that?" Ciara asked surprised.

"You deserve to be happy, and if surf boy is the guy to do that, then I'll help out." Dante told her. "Besides, if he's dating you, then that's one less person I have to be concerned about flirting with my sister and sending her love notes." He added.

"Well no time like the present to get started." Maximilian said. "Hey Kai, can you come over here for a bit." He yelled over at Kai.

Kai looked over at Maximilian and saw he was with Dante and Ciara. Ciara was covering her face slightly as she was completely red in embarrassment. "Hang on a minute, let me get my food first." Kai yelled back.

Brett saw what was going on, and stepped in trying to help as well. "I'll get your food for you Kai." He said. Brett ran over to Chef so he could get Kai's food and Kai could go over with Ciara.

Once Kai was standing directly in front of them, Ciara began to feel lightheaded and weak from the nerves. Dante noticed she wasn't doing so well, and shoved her slightly to get her focused on Kai. "So Kai how did you sleep last night?" Ciara asked him.

"Good enough I guess. It's always easier to sleep when we aren't voting people off so there's that advantage." Kai said.

"Well if you want you can come by my cabin later tonight and we can really stay up late together." Ciara flirted. Kai laughed at her joke helping Ciara to feel a bit calmer.

Maximilian subtly nudged Ciara to get her attention. "Stop flirting. Be honest with him." He said.

"Kai I've been wanting to tell you for a few challenges now that I..." Ciara began to say before Chris walked in blowing his air horn and getting everyone's attention.

"Who's ready for the next fear inducing challenge." Chris announced.

"Are you kidding me." Brett, Dante, and Maximilian said at the same time surprised by the inconvenient timing that Chris had. Those who were unaware of what was going on looked at the three confused.

"I pride myself on my timing." Chris subtly told the camera winking. "Alright you'd better be ready because today we are bringing back another classic Total Drama challenge. It's the fan favorite Phobia Factor." Chris announced.

Johnathan looked at Chris confused. "Wait a minute, we never told you our secrets the way the original Phobia Factor contestants did." He said. "How do you know our fears?" Chris asked.

"Let's just say my interns made a lot of phone calls overnight. Now we're going to be doing things slightly different this time. Each fear will be time based. If you can face your fear for at least one minute your team gets a point. If you last five minutes you get two points. Fifteen minutes gives you five points, and if you somehow last an entire half hour against your phobia then you get seven points to your team. The team with the most points takes the win." Chris announced.

The Killer Hydra looked confident toward the challenge while the Screaming Phoenix were a bit more unsure. "They have way more people than we do, how is this going to be a fair challenge." Koh complained.

"Koh's right, this ain't set up in a way we can win." Aiden agreed.

Chris groaned at their complaints and blew his air horn at them to make them stop talking. "Alright fine. It's not my fault you guys suck, but if it will get you to stop complaining, then I'll have AJ join the Screaming Phoenix." He said.

"What!" AJ yelled in surprise. "W-why me?" She asked.

"I don't know. You were just the first person I saw." Chris said shrugging.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"This is just great. I finally managed to open up to my team and get over my shyness, and I'm thrust onto the other team. They're a lot meaner then my friends at the Killer Hydra. I guess it's back to being the stuttering loser nobody likes." AJ tearfully said.

 **(Switch)**

"AJ can't go to the Screaming Phoenix." Tom yelled frustrated. "Not only was she an important part of my strategy... but..." He said before pausing to take a breath. "But she was also my friend." He said sadly.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Okay, let's go ahead and take care of this in Alphabetical order." Chris said.

"Very well, if I must." Genevieve said stepping forward.

Chris was about to question the logic of Genevieve going first when her name starts with a G, but Miriam cut him off. "Don't bother questioning it Chris, Princess over there doesn't know how alphabetical order works and thinks just because one of her seven first names starts with an A she can go first." She said.

Chris shrugged, but decided to go along with it not really caring who he got to torture first. "Very well then, a source close to Genevieve who wished to remain anonymous told us that she is afraid of Chihuahuas.

Genevieve's fear was met with laughter from most of the others. "Don't you dare laugh at me. Those creatures are disgusting and vile abominations." Genevieve said looking at the pin of Chihuahuas that Chef had set up.

"I thought having one of those purse pups was a requirement for spoiled brats like you." Koh said laughing.

"As if. I bet it was the butler that was recently fired who told Chris. He always complained I was too hard on these animals." Genevieve said. She took a step into the pin with the dogs, but as soon as one came up to her and started barking she jumped out and ran as far back from them as she could.

"Well it looks like Genevieve was all bark and no bite." Chris said laughing sadistically. "Next up we have Aiden who has a dual fear of cockroaches and rats." He announced.

Chef brought in an inflatable pool and dumped two dirty old bags into it. The first bag was filed with cockroaches while the second was filled with rats. The animals ran around the inflatable pool causing Aiden to look at it and gulp nervously.

"Come on cowboy, I'm sure you've handled worse situations on the farm." Koh told him reassuringly.

Aiden swallowed his pride, and jumped into the pool filled with animals. He did his best to stay calm, but after the first minute had passed he jumped out not being able to take the crawling sensation all over his body anymore.

"The Screaming Hydra take the first point thanks to Aiden. Let's see how they continue that momentum with AJ and her fear of failure." Chris said.

The contestants all looked at Chris and AJ confused. "How exactly are you going to have her face that fear? It's more of an abstract concept rather than something that she can genuinely face." Zelda said.

"Well it was all the information we were able to get out of her father. Luckily the interns rigged up this device." He said pointing over to an oddly shaped scanner. "It will deliver a test to her, but it's rigged to always make her get the wrong answer. No matter how hard she tries she'll fail. Just to make it more fun it's a test all about her favorite books." He explained.

AJ gasped and looked at the machine unsure if she should approach it. "I know I'm not really getting it wrong, but to fail a test on my favorite books, I-I don't think I can do that." AJ nervously said.

"You can do it AJ." Tom told her. "It's not a real test anyway." He added.

Clifford frowned at Tom's words of encouragement.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Tom had better watch himself a bit more carefully. I don't mind that he has an obvious crush on AJ, but now that she's on the other team he needs to remember she's the enemy at all time." Clifford said.

 **(Switch)**

"Tom was right, it wasn't a real test so I had no reason to care about the failing score." AJ said. "Besides, I didn't want to let my new team down on the first challenge." She added nervously.

 **(Confessional End)**

"It looks as though AJ is going to go for the whole half hour on that test. If at any time you feel like quitting, just press the red button." Chris said. "While she does that, let's continue onto the next phobia which is Anthony facing snakes and lizards." Chris announced.

The inflatable pool that had been used to hold Aiden was rinsed off, and filled with the snakes and lizards for Anthony. He took a look at the reptiles inside and stepped back cautiously. Before he could completely run away, Zelda stopped him.

"Come on Anthony you can do this. Just remember that Sarah is watching you, and she wants you to win." She said.

Anthony turned back around and took a deep breath. "I'm doing this for Sarah. I'm doing this for Sarah." He repeated to himself. He closed his eyes and jumped into the pool holding back the desire to run out of there. Once the first minute had been completed and it was clear to leave with the point he jolted out as fast as he could and ran directly to the showers.

"I am loving this challenge more and more each second." Chris said laughing. The contestants glared at him, but he ignored all of their stares. "It's time for the Killer Hydra to take their turn at facing their fears. Brett is up to bat with his fear of being covered in ants.

The way Brett's phobia was set up was that he'd be placed inside of a glass box, and the box would slowly be filled with ants. He could open the door to the box from the inside at any moment. As Brett prepared himself to step into the glass box he took his shirt off.

"What's the point of taking your shirt off?" Kyoko asked him confused.

"If any ants get stuck in there, then they'll be there all day. It's much easier if I just go in here shirtless." He said.

Brett stood inside the glass box as Chris and Chef began to lower the ants covering him. Once he was completely covered in ants Brett tried to clear his mind so he could hopefully last at least five minutes and tie up the score for his team. Unfortunately for him, his patience with the ants ran out about four minutes into being covered with ants, and he chose to exit the glass box.

"You did the best you could." Ciara told Brett handing him back his shirt.

"I just wish I could've done better." Brett said. He put it back on, but ironically enough, just as he put it on, it strained and ripped leaving him shirtless regardless.

"Too bad for Brett, but at least you guys have one point. Let's see how Ciara does facing her fear." Chris said.

"So what exactly is your fear?" Dante asked Ciara.

Ciara looked at Dante, then looked over at Kai hoping her soul mate wouldn't be dissapointed in her. "It's not so much a fear, but the literal definition of torture." She answered.

"That doesn't answer my question." Dante said.

"I can answer your question." Chris said smiling sadistically. "Your good pal Ciara here has to face her fear of listening to the rapper Lil Pump on loop while being locked in a room." Chris said.

Ciara groaned and covered her face in embarrassment. "This should be an easy seven points for us." Kyoko cheered.

"There is no way I'm listening to that noise for half an hour." Ciara protested.

"It's just music. What's the problem?" Brett asked Ciara.

"It's not just music. It's not even music to begin with. As a future musician, it's my responsibility to make sure that the work I make comes from my heart and has meaning to it. Not just be some soulless mass produced cash grab like that." Ciara complained.

"What about impressing Kai?" Maximilian whispered to her.

Ciara thought for a moment, but shook her head sternly. "I"m sorry but I'm not doing it. I have better standards than that." Ciara said.

Her team began to complain that they were losing out on easy points until Dante fed up with all the complaints angrily yelled at them. "Shut Up! If she doesn't want to do it, then let's just move on already."

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Okay, maybe I missed the opportunity to impress Kai, but I won't degrade myself like that. If he's truly my soulmate then he'll not only have better taste in music, but he'll understand why I won't do it." Ciara said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Okay, Chef is getting real tired of having to clean this inflatable pool, so let's go ahead and take on the next three animal based challenges using it at the same time." Chris said. "Clifford you'll be facing your fear of insects, Kyoko you'll have to face your fear of snakes, and Johnathan you'll tackle your fear of rats." Chris said.

Chef filled the inflatable pool one last time with the different fears of these three contestants. The three of them had to squeeze into the inflatable pool together making it not only more uncomfortable, but also more cramped.

"This is highly ineffective, not to mention unfair." Clifford complained.

"I know what you mean. The rats wouldn't be too much of an issue if I wasn't having to deal with your guys's animals as well." Johnathan said.

"How much longer do we have to stay in here?" Kyoko asked shutting her eyes and trying to ignore the slimy sensation around her body.

The three of them struggled to fit into the small inflatable pool along with the animals they had crammed into there. It wasn't much longer until the inflatable pool popped and all of the animals ended up pouring out.

"Well that's a bummer. It seems you guys each only managed to go for a single point." Chris said.

"We didn't quit the challenge, the pool just broke because you crammed three adolescents into something that was designed for children." Clifford complained.

"Yeah, that was really unfair." Kyoko said.

"That's too bad. On the bright side, the teams are now perfectly tied up with three points each." Chris said ignoring their complaints. They each went back to their team annoyed with how that had turned out. "Now then how about we have Dante next, and I think we can all guess his fear." Chris said.

"Losing Zelda." Every contestant except for Dante and Zelda said at the same time along with Chris and Chef.

"Was it that obvious?" Zelda asked blushing.

"Your brother only ever has one thing on his mind, and that's you." Ciara told her.

"Now then, Dante if you'll kindly step into this isolated room where you have no idea what Zelda could be doing, or what any of the guys on her team could be doing to her." Chris said.

Dante glared at Chris for the second remark he made, but shook it off trying to stay focused.

"He's just trying to get into your head Dante. It'll be fine. Try to go for the half hour since we need the points." Maximilian told him. Dante nodded and walked into the room ready to say goodbye.

Once he stepped into the room, and the door behind him locked Genevieve smiled evilly. "Wow Johnathan, Dante's only been gone for a few seconds and you're already making out with Zelda. I never would've guessed." She said loudly enough for Dante to hear even from within the room. Genevieve counted down to the inevitable, and shortly enough Dante broke the door down looking for Johnathan and Zelda.

"You fell for that so hard." Ciara told Dante. Realizing what just happened, he punched the closest wall in frustration.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Way too easy." Genevieve said filing her nails.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Okay, let's go ahead and have a five minute break. I think that will give AJ enough time to finish her failed test. Killer Hydra you had better get it together if you want to keep the winning streak after she adds those seven points to her team." Chris said walking away.

Clifford decided to call an emergency team meeting among the Killer Hydra so they could come up with a strategy to catch up.

"We still have five people left to face their fear while they only have four. Unfortunately, since AJ got away with an easy fear to face she gave them a massive lead we need to overcome." Clifford said.

"If only AJ were still on our team, then we'd be the ones holding that seven point lead." Tom said.

"Yes well AJ isn't on our team anymore, and we need to stop treating her as though she is still a part of it." Clifford said frustrated.

Tom glanced over at AJ who had just finished her test. Sure enough she got every single answer wrong. While her new team was congratulating her for the lead she gave them, none of them seemed to notice her hurt expression for failing a test on her favorite literature.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"She doesn't belong on that team. Other than maybe Zelda, there's nobody who can connect with her as in intellectual the way we did." Tom complained.

 **(Switch)**

"Tom seems to be taking AJ being gone really hard. It makes sense since they were really close, and probably have feelings for each other that they'll ignore until a day or two before one of them gets eliminated. I'm going to miss her too, but I just have to accept that she's a Phoenix now." Nikki said.

 **(Switch)**

"At least I made a good first impression." AJ said looking at her failed test before tearfully tearing the paper up.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Alright, let's each try to go for at least five minutes on our fear. That won't be as good as AJ, but if even one of us can match her half hour, and the rest do five we should win this no problem." Nicky said.

"Let's do this. I'm not afraid of anything." Maddie proudly said.

"Nothing except the exact fear you'll be facing in this challenge." Clifford remarked deadpan.

Maddie stuck her tongue out at Clifford causing Nicky and Kyoko to laugh. Clifford sighed at the juvenile gesture and simply rolled his eyes. Nearby Ciara went over to Kai after being shoved by Brett and Maximilian.

"So Kai, what's your fear going to be?" Ciara asked him.

"Blood. I can't stand the sight of it." Kai told her shuddering at the mere thought.

"Well that's a much better fear than the one I had to deal with." Ciara told him.

"Don't sell yourself short brah. Don't let anybody tell you that you have a dumb fear. Whatever you have to deal, that's for you to deal with. Ya know what I"m saying." Kai said encouragingly.

Ciara wrapped her arms around Kai in a hug. He returned the hug back to her, and they broke apart laughing together.

"Kai I lo-" Ciara said before Chris showed up and interrupted once again.

"Break's over." He announced through his megaphone.

"Okay you definitely did it on purpose that time." Dante told Chris.

Chris shrugged off his accusation and kept on walking. "Perhaps, but that's not important right now. What is important is that Kai is going to be facing his fear of blood." He said.

"You've got this Kai." Ciara told her soul mate.

Kai looked over to her and grinned giving her a thumbs up. Kai took a seat in front of Chef who was wearing a nurse's outfit. Chef grabbed a large and pointy needle and slowly lowered it into Kai's arm. Kai put on a brave face, but as soon as some blood started flowing he fainted at the sight of it.

"Too bad for Killer Hydra. Kai couldn't stand the blood pressure." Chris said laughing. "Go ahead and take him to the infirmary so he can recover." He added.

"I'll go with him." Ciara said.

"Once he wakes up finish what you started." Brett told Ciara.

"Don't worry, if Chris tries to interrupt you again he'll have to deal with us." Dante said forming a fist. Ciara laughed and gave a hug to each of the three guys helping her out with her love problems before heading to the infirmary.

"Going back to the Screaming Phoenix, let's have Koh facing her claustrophobia." Chris said. He guested over to a small glass box in the ground similar to the one that was used to bury Gwen back in the original Phobia Factor challenge.

Koh looked at the glass box unsure if she wanted to go through with this.

"Don't worry if ya can't do it Koh. AJ gave us the lead so you can step down." Aiden told her kindly.

Koh gave Aiden a rare smile, and looked back at the box determined. "No, I'm glad you're giving me an out, but I'm not a quitter. Even if I can't get us too many points I'm at least going to try." She said.

She stepped into the glass box, and was quickly covered up so the space would seem even smaller.

"When she presses the release button, go ahead and let her out." Chris told Aiden. He nodded and tipped his hat. "Kitty we'll move onto you and your fear of heights." Chris said.

Nicky gulped, but stepped forward knowing the team needed her. Chef grabbed Nicky, and tied her with a rope attached to his helicopter. Once the rope was firmly attached, he got into the helicopter and slowly rose it lifting Nicky off the air as well.

"Is that safe?" Maddie asked concerned as Nicky rose higher in the air held up only by a rope attached to the helicopter.

Chris looked up at the helicopter and the dangling girl, but just shrugged. "I'm sure it's safe enough." Chris said. Maddie glared at him for his weak response, so he grumbled and pulled out his walkie-talkie to Chef. "Fly it over the water." Chris told Chef.

Sure enough, Chef turned the helicopter around and flew it toward the ocean. Nicky had enough of being dangled around at that height, and pulled on the rope hoping to get Chef's attention. He didn't seem to notice it and just kept flying so Nicky pulled harder until the rope ripped from her force and she fell straight into the water. Maddie ran as fast as she could to help Nicky out now that she was in the water.

"Looks like flying over the water was the better idea." Chris said laughing past the glares of the other Killer Hydra. "She lasted a good five minutes, so that's another two points for the Killer Hydra. Let's hop back over to the Screaming Phoneix and Lucy's fear of earthquakes.

"We don't have to do my fear. We have a massive lead anyway." Lucy said nervously.

"You'd better not be backing down on us." Genevieve threatened.

"You didn't beat your fear either you know." Zelda told Genevieve.

"Look AJ gave us the lead, and Koh is still in the box so we'll be fine without me having to deal with earthquakes." Lucy said nervously.

As soon as she said that though, Koh and Aiden came back. While Koh didn't last the complete half hour, she was able to stay in the box for fifteen minutes and gave the team another five points.

"What's going on?" Koh asked.

"Little Lucy doesn't want to deal with a little ground shaking." Genevieve mocked.

"Then let's just move on. We can afford to give up a few points." Koh said. Lucy sighed in relief while Genevieve stared angrily.

"Okay, we've got three Killer Hydra left and two Screaming Phoenix left. The Phoenix lead by ten points, so the Hydra better start facing their fears for more than just a minute." Chris said.

Maximilian stepped forward knowing that he would be the next one chosen. "Don't worry I can handle a half hour of my fear." He said confidently.

"Let's see if you manage to back up that statement." Chris said. "Maximilian will face his fear of being locked in a room with cats.

Chef grabbed a box of kittens and started to fill the room Maximilian would be put into with them. Once the room was filled with as many cats as it could hold Maximilian stepped forward.

"The feline room is ready." Chef told Chris.

Chris looked into the room and smirked maliciously. "Hold on, it needs one more thing to be complete." Chris said. He looked around, and then found Maddie and Nicky joining up with them, Nicky still soaking wet. Chris gave Chef a minor nod and Chef grabbed Nicky to throw her in with the other cats. "There, now the feline room is ready.

"Are you kidding me!" Nicky yelled from inside.

"Sorry kitty, can't hear you over all the other cats." Chris said. Maximilian stepped into the room, and the door closed behind him. "While Maximilian gets to spend some time with his feline friends, let's have Miriam tackle her fear of voids, and Tom with his fear of loud noises." Chris said.

Their challenge was one of the more interesting ones. Miriam was given a set of VR goggles that placed her inside an empty and barren space. The realism made her feel as though she were in the void herself. As for Tom, he had a set of headphones filled with noises such as balloons popping being played to him. Miriam gave up through her challenge before the first minute was up and threw the VR glasses. Tom on the other hand lasted a single minute, but couldn't go on any longer.

"It appears as though our defeat is coming soon." Clifford said.

"We haven't lost yet. Maximilian is still in the feline room, and we still have Maddie. If both of them last half an hour, then we'll have enough points to win." Brett said.

Another short break was given before the last two challenges would be delivered. Only Maddie and Zelda were left to face their fear. During the break, Maximilian's half hour had passed by and he stepped out of the feline room.

"How'd you manage to stay in there so long?" Brett asked Maximilian.

"Don't tell Chris, but Nicky played with the cats while I just sat in the corner." Maximilian told him.

Maddie overheard their conversation and smirked happy that Chris's cruel treatment of her friend had ended up working against him. She gave Nicky a hug, happy that she was safe.

"Alright let's finish up. Maddie, you have to face your odd fear of dogs and garbage trucks." Chris said.

Her team looked at her confused about the fear. "They're evil!" Maddie yelled out.

A garbage truck that was filled with dogs pulled up. Maddie looked at the vehicle and slowly backed away.

"Come on Maddie you can do this." Nicky told her. "You beat an evil spirit, you can take on a garbage truck and some dogs." She said.

"The spirit might have been bad, but those garbage thingys are the definition of true evil." Maddie yelled.

"Would it help if I went in with you?" Nicky asked.

"Wait a minute, you can't do that." Chris said.

Nicky went up to Chris and shoved her finger to his chest. "You just threw me into a room with cats for your own pleasure. Do not tell me what I can't do for her." She told him.

Chris stepped back startled by the sudden ferocity the small girl displayed. "Okay, you can both go in the garbage truck." He reluctantly said.

The two girls smiled at each other and stepped into the garbage truck with the dogs.

"I never knew you had such a fierce side to you." Maddie told Nicky.

"Neither did I." Nicky laughed.

"Maybe Kitty isn't too bad of a nickname after all, though I prefer Kitten." Maddie said. "Mind if I call you that?" She asked. Nicky just laughed, but nodded her head.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I thought Maddie was an insane pyromaniac, but she's really great and I'm glad I got to know her. AJ might be gone, but as long as I've got Maddie I feel I can actually win this." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional End)**

With her friend at her side, it was no difficulty at all for Maddie to last the half hour. Once the time passed they stepped out.

"Thanks to Maddie's bold move the Killer Hydra have taken the lead." Chris said. Zelda is the last person to go. If she wants to win this for her team, she needs to last at least fifteen minutes." He said.

"So what's your fear?" Genevieve asked Zelda.

"If you must know, my fear is darkness." Zelda said.

Genevieve laughed at Zelda's fear. "That is something a child is afraid of. How pathetic is that." She said laughing.

"This coming from the girl who couldn't play with a puppy." Zelda snapped back.

"That mongrel is far more terrifying than any darkness." Genevieve said.

"So what's it going to be Zelda?" Chris asked her.

Zelda thought for a moment, but knew she had to do it. Before she stepped into the pitch black room, Dante ran up to her.

"I knew you'd be going though this, so I went to get you this during the second break." Dante said. He handed Zelda her stuffed dog.

"You went to the cabin to get Spot?" Zelda asked surprised.

"I didn't want you to face the challenge without him." Dante said.

Zelda gave her brother a warm hug and entered the pitch black room.

"Congratulation." Clifford told Dante. "You just gave them the victory, and ensured your own elimination as well." He said.

Dante shoved past Clifford and kept on walking. "Shove off. So what if we lost, I care about helping her with her fear than this dumb game anyway." He said.

Meanwhile over at the infirmary, Kai was finally waking up. Ciara looked over to him and took a deep breath.

"Hey Kai, how are you feeling?" She asked him.

"Still a bit dizzy. How's the challenge going?" He asked.

"No idea. I left to stay with you the whole time." She said.

Kai smiled at her in surprise. "Wow, I really appreciate that. You're one of the coolest chicks I know." Kai told her.

"Kai I've been wanting to tell you for long, but it's clear I'm not good with words that aren't for flirting. I'll just show you." Ciara said.

She practically jumped out of her seat and stood directly over Kai who was still laying down. Before Kai could fully process what was going on Ciara planted a kiss firmly on his lips. Kai didn't reciprocate the the kiss, and once he fully realized what was going on he gently shoved Ciara off of him.

"Woah Ciara, you know I love the flirting game we play, but don't you think this is taking things a little too far?" He asked her.

"Flirting game?" She asked her heart breaking more and more.

"Yeah, nobody else ever laughed at your jokes, so I figured I might as well go along with it." Kai told her.

Ciara looked away from Kai as she teared up. "You only laughed at my jokes because nobody else did?" She asked him.

"Well not just that. They were funny too." Kai laughed. Ciara ran out of the infirmary heartbroken at this revelation. As she was running she bumped into Dante who had headed to check up on her and Kai.

"I was just going to see you." Dante told her.

Ciara quickly whipped away her tears to hide the fact that she had been on the verge of crying. "Hey Dante, how did the challenge go?" She asked him trying to seem normal.

Dante took one look at Ciara and saw right through her act. "Why were you crying?" He asked her.

"How did you figure out?" She asked surprised.

"Your eyes are red and puffy. I've learned to look for those small details in case something is wrong with Zelda and she refuses to tell me. Now I'll ask again why were you crying." Dante said.

Ciara took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around Date letting the tears flow once more. "I thought my soul mate would be the first person to laugh at my jokes, but when I kissed Kai he told me that the flirting was just a game to him. He never loved me the way I loved him." Ciara said.

Dante made a fist and held back his anger as hard as he could so as to not frighten Ciara. His friend needed her help right now, and being mad wouldn't solve anything.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"People like Kai are the reason I don't let guys get near Zelda. I couldn't stop Ciara from getting her heart broken, but this just proves I need to find who sent that love letter and save Zelda from a heart break. Of course first Kai needs some well deserved payback." Dante said punching the wall of the confessional and making a whole in it.

 **(Switch)**

"I'm really confused as to what's going on." Kai said. He looked at the poorly patched hole that Dante had made surprised. "How long has that hole been there?" He asked himself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Dante went over to the rest of his team as they were deciding who to vote off. Clifford looked at him and started clapping.

"A round of applause for the man who single handedly cost us the challenge today. I can't wait to finally be rid of you." Clifford said as he finished clapping.

Dante pushed Clifford to the ground not wanting any of his sass right now. "I may have cost us the challenge, but you all need to listen to what I have to say. I'm not trying to manipulate your votes or save myself. I just want to help make sure my friend doesn't have to suffer anymore than she already has." Dante said.

The Killer Hydra looked at each other, and then back to Dante. "We're listening." Brett told him.

At the elimination ceremony later that night all of the marshmallows had been distributed except for one. Dante and Kai were the only two people left that hadn't gotten theirs.

"Dante, you helped Zelda face her fear with the help of her stuffed dog, and as a result you guys lost. Kai, I don't know what you're doing here, but I guess fainting at the sight of blood made you look weak or something. The final marshmallow goes to...

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Dante." Chris revealed. Dante picked up his marshmallow and gave Kai a death glare as he passed by.

"Look I don't want to upset, but why did i get voted off. I'd like to think I was getting along well with everyone." Kai said confused about his elimination.

"You really don't know what you did wrong do you?" Dante yelled at Kai. He rushed over to punch him, but was held back by Brett and Maximilian.

"Ciara really cared about you, and you were just playing with her. I thought you were a nice guy, but that's the most messed up thing that you can do to a girl." Maximilian told him.

Kai gasped in surprise and turned to look at Ciara. "Is that true?" He asked her.

She nodded to him. "I was in love with you Kai, or at least I think I was. I don't even know anymore. It doesn't matter since it was just a game to you anyway." Ciara said.

"Flirting was a game Ciara, but I never meant to hurt your feelings. If I had known you wanted to take things more seriously, then I could've given it a try." Kai said.

"Well it's too late for that." Chris said as Chef dragged Kai onto the Pendulum of Shame. "Any last words?" Chris asked him before launching the Pendulum.

"Ciara, I'm sorry I hurt you, but would would you say if I asked you to go out with me after the game is over?" Kai asked Ciara.

Ciara looked at Kai, and her heart jumped up hearing that he would still want to go out with her even after how things turned out between them. Before she answered though she stopped to think and realized she knew what she had to do. She loved Kai because he laughed at her jokes, but the truth was her heart belonged to someone else. "I'm sorry Kai, but the answer is no. I don't want to go out with you." Ciara said before walking away.

Chris laughed at the irony of the situation. "Wow you just got turned down by the girl who flirts with almost every guy she meets. That must suck so hard." He said laughing. Before Kai could say anything else Chris activated the Pendulum, and Kai was gone from the island.

"That's too bad how things turned out. I was rooting for them." Chef told Chris.

"Please the ratings are way better when they don't end up together compared to when they do." Chris said. "How will Ciara bounce back from this heartbreaking day? Will AJ get used to her new team? Is this the start of Team Killer Hydra's losing streak? Find out next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro:The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Brett, Clifford, Maddie, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Johnathan, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, AJ, and Zelda

 **Apologies to AZW330 for Kai's elimination. I should probably also apologize for running the fan favorite ship of Kai and Ciara. I know a lot of people were hoping for Kaiara (my own name) but that just didn't pan out.** **Originally** **I planned for Ciara to be eliminated this chapter, but she would get together with Kai. When I decided I wanted to take Ciara in a slightly different direction, and give her a different romantic interest I decided this would be a good point for Kai to get eliminated and end the Kaiara plot thread. Kaiara turned into a red herring making everyone think they would together, only to pull a twist ending. I should point out, Kai isn't really the bad guy in this situation. He didn't mean to hurt Ciara, it was just an unfortunate accident. By the time he realized his mistake, it was just too late since Ciara's best buds Dante and Max had already sealed his fate.**

* * *

 **A/N: Once again, it took far longer than I would've liked for me to finish this chapter. I got a new shift at work, and as a result had to completely rearrange my writing schedule. I had a lot less free time, but I think I've gotten decent at my time management skills. Aside from that, the chapter took a while because I wasn't sure what I wanted the challenge to be. I had a few in mind, but ultimately decided on rehashing Phobia Factor just because that's an easy, but really fun challenge. The chapter is just a tad bit shorter than some of my past chapters have been, but I think that's fine seeing as how Phobia Factor is a simple and straight forward challenge. There's no real need to drag the challenge out, and we also get plenty of interactions so it all worked out.**

 **Typically whenever I rehash old challenges I try to put some kind of twist to them so that they can stand out compared to the canon challenge. I couldn't really think of a good twist for this one though, so I just played it straight forward. I guess there was a minor twist with making the challenge time based, but other than that it was just like the original. As I said, it's a simple challenge, but the interactions is what I think makes it such a fan favorite challenge to do. I don't think I've read an original Total Drama fanfic that doesn't include Phobia Factor somehow.**

 **The teams are tied up now. To think just last chapter the Killer Hydra had such a tremendous lead, but in one single chapter it was tied up. I guess since they lost two people while the Screaming Phoenix gained one it made evening the teams really easy. A lot of people predicted a team swap, and I think that was just the easiest way to balance the teams again.**

 **Finally the last thing worth talking about is a bit more about Kaiara. As I said, the reason Kiara ended up not happening was because of the different direction I wanted to take Ciara. I figured her getting together with Kai, and getting eliminated that same chapter was a little too cliche. I've really grown to like her, so I wanted to do a bit more. I think her true love interest is painfully obvious, but that's not too much of a problem because Ciara and him will get together next chapter anyway. Speaking of next chapter, I really love what's going to happen. Next chapter is one that I've been looking forward to since basically the beginning of the story. It's going to be a major game changer, and I can't wait to see what you all think. I'm going to be working hard to get that out sooner rather than later.**


	12. Playing with Fire

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Sounds like I did a good job getting you hyped for the next chapter. I hope the payoff more than meets the expectations that I set up. It's something I've been waiting to do, and I think I executed it well.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ I'll take pretty good. Sounds like you enjoyed the chapter, but don't really have much to say about it. There's not always something to say, and that's fine.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ I'm real sorry about Kaiara, but I think you'll enjoy what I do with Ciara more. Kiara isn't bad it's just a little too cliche and predictable in my opinion. I'm glad to see that you're open to the twist and what comes next for her. It's also good to see that you found the scenes with Nicky funny. I had a lot of fun writing them, and actually had to take a break because I was laughing so much. It's helpful to hear that you laughed so it wasn't just me laughing at my own jokes.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ Believe it or not, but last chapter was actually the end of the first fourth. We've eliminated 25% of the cast with those eight being gone. It doesn't seem like it with how long chapters sometimes take, but we are actually making progress. The merge is still a while away, but we will get there.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ I agree that the fear chapters are great. Often seeing the fears and how they face them gives us more insight into the characters that we wouldn't see otherwise. Sorry about Kai, but I'm glad you could see my reason for eliminating him. I admit that the chapter did focus a lot on Ciara, but seeing as how the chapter was the end of the Kaiara arc I think it's excusable. We did get more going on than just Kaira such as AJ swapping teams, as well as Nicky and Maddie bonding. Ciara was the focus, but I don't think she was the only character to get any moments. I hope the twist resonates well with readers. I'm a bit nervous, but also optimistic.

 _ **Nikolai777-**_ This is a warm surprise. Since reviews and PMs are the only way I know if people are still reading, I kinda assumed I lost readers due to my 3 month hiatus and the slow rate this story has been going. Glad to see you're still reading, and overall enjoying things. I can't reply to the entire review since that's like 7 chapters worth of replies, but if there's anything you want to discuss in more detail or want to know my thoughts on my PM are always open. I will address your review for last chapter, as well as just a few of the more important notes. Ciara didn't know that Dante went to their team to eliminate Kai. In retrospect it was a bit ambiguous, but that was all his doing, not her. I should also note my original idea was to have a villain, either Tom or Aiden be responsible for Kaiara not getting together. I changed to just being a misunderstanding because I think that felt more natural then a villain forcing them apart. The villain idea probably would've worked better, but I'm content with how I handled it. While I agree that Ciara was more enjoyable when she was flirting with everyone instead of pinning over a single guy, I want to develop her beyond just being flirtatious. The reason she flirts with everyone is because that's the easiest way to find love for her. Perhaps I haven't done the best job at making that clear, but it was the reason confessing her feelings towards Kai was so hard. Flirting is easy for her, love is hard. She'll get more development beyond her love interest in the coming chapters. I understand your frustrations with how things have gone. To be honest this chapter and the next one will either get rid of the frustration, or utterly enrage you. I'm not sure which it'll be, but I hope it's the first. Then again the first review you left was due to being frustrated so maybe that's not completely bad. Nice to hear your thoughts on all the characters. I agree that some of them haven't done anything of note and are background or support characters. I'll work to change that to the best of my abilities. Pacing is still a weak point in my writing, so a lot of plots end up either rushed or dragged out. Zelda and Dante specifically get called out a lot, but let me just say in my defense I have gotten better. They have a lot of time devoted to them, but they haven't stolen all the time in almost 4 chapters. I am getting better. Besides their plot is wrapping up very soon, and by the end of this chapter and the next I think all the haters of Zelda and Dante will have considerably less reason to hate. Also the word you were looking for was content not contempt.

 _ **Guest-**_ Kiara isn't a bad ending, but I found it too limiting. Ciara's main trait may have been her flirting nature, but she's got a lot more to offer than just that. I'm going to enjoy doing more with her beyond flirting, and I hope you enjoy the result. As for the new love interest with Ciara, I can imagine a lot of people will be unsatisfied. Wait and see the end result before complaining too hard. If you still hate how it ends up playing out, well that's fair.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. Our contestants were forced to face their fears. Some of them had fears that would make anyone terrified, while others had not so impressive fears. Since the Screaming Phoenix were on a losing streak AJ unwillingly moved over to join them, and said goodbye to her fellow Killer Hydra. Ciara tried to confess her feelings for Kai, but it turns out anything that doesn't involve flirting isn't easy for her. Kitty proved she has more fight in her than you would expect, and formed an odd friendship with Maddie. Just when it seemed that the Killer Hydra would continue their winning streak, Dante helped Zelda conquer her fear with the help of her stuffed animal. In the end however Dante wasn't sent home but rather Kai was in the most humiliating elimination ceremony ever. Not only was he voted out, but he was also rejected by the girl who flirts with everyone that has been chasing him for days. That's just embarrassing. Now that the teams are even will the Screaming Phoenix be able to bounce back? Who's humiliating elimination is up next? Find out right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

Inside of the Screaming Phoenix girl cabin, the girls were getting to know their new teammate AJ. It was a rare moment of bonding between the girls who were often fighting. They were eating some snacks that Koh had managed to steal from Chef's kitchen while using makeup products that Genevieve had brought onto the island.

"You didn't have to do all of this for me." AJ told them.

"We figured you'd like a warm welcoming. Besides, it was thanks to you that we managed to have such a strong lead in the last challenge." Lucy told her.

AJ blushed and looked away from them to hide her embarrassment. Genevieve noticed and laughed. "Don't get too full of yourself now. You basically didn't have to do anything last challenge." She said.

"This coming from the girl who's apparently afraid of little dogs." Zelda told Genevieve. "Just ignore Genevieve, that's what the rest of us do." She said looking over at AJ.

Genevieve frowned and glared at Zelda. "Perhaps I wasn't able to face my fear of those mongrels, however at least I didn't require interference from my overbearing and obsessive sibling." She said.

"I didn't ask Dante to help me out, he just did." Zelda said. "Besides isn't what matters that we won, not how we did it?" She asked.

Miriam moved in between the fighting girls to break off their glaring contest. "Alright that's enough from both of you. We wanted to welcome AJ to our team, not scare her off." She told the two girls. "Princess, you're in no position to criticize when you didn't face your fear. As for you branaic, I think we're all in agreement that your brother's a creep and you enable that behavior by not doing anything about it." She said.

"That's absurd." Zelda yelled "Dante can be a bit much, but he's just looking out for me." She said. She looked around at her fellow girls however and saw that all of them had expressions of agreeing with Miriam.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Zelda has done nothing but try to upstage me since we first arrived on this island. All of her accomplishments on this island have been due to her brother, and not of her own merits. I am Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire, and I will get the respect I deserve." Genevieve said.

 **(Switch)**

"I might not enjoy the way Dante treats me, but I'm not enabling him... am I?" Zelda asked herself unsure.

 **(Confessional End)**

"So AJ, what's your home life like?" Lucy asked her.

"Well it's just my parents, and my cat Mochi. I don't have any siblings, and aside from Mochi I don't have too many friends." AJ said.

"You know I almost forgot that you were the one who refused to tell their secret of having no friends aside from their cat. That gave us the advantage in that challenge if I'm remembering correctly." Genevieve told AJ.

"Princess are you actually going to welcome AJ to our team, or are you just going to be your usual annoying self?" Miriam asked her.

"I did allow you all to sample my prestigious makeup selection. That's more than enough of a welcome if you ask me. You should be honored you're even looking at my selection, let alone trying it on." Genevieve said.

"Well what about those of us who don't really care for your frilly makeup?" Koh asked her.

Genevieve laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well that's your loss. Honestly you could use it. Maybe then you could attract someone other than that filthy cowboy." She said.

"I'm not even going to bother responding to that." Koh deadpanned.

"Like I told you AJ, if you ignore Genevieve you'll fit in nicely on this team." Zelda told her. The other girls laughed together at her remark.

Genevieve got up and left to the door of the cabin. "Go ahead and keep the make-up. I can afford to replace it without any concern, but to the rest of you it'll probably be the best you've ever had the privilege of experiencing. Consider it my final act of kindness on this island." She said before storming out and slamming the door. The other girls simply continued laughing together at Genevieve's sour mood.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I thought that it would be a bit more difficult to fit in with the Screaming Phoenix, but they've been a lot more welcoming than I expected. I still really miss my old team, but maybe this won't be as hard as I thought." AJ said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Okay AJ, why don't you tell us what's going on between you and Tom?" Lucy asked.

AJ blushed fiercely, her entire face becoming as red as a tomato. She frantically waved her hands back and forth covering her face trying to say something, but no words were coming out. "N-n-no. Tom's just a f-f-friend." She managed to say.

"That doesn't seem like the reaction that just a friend would provoke." Miriam teased.

"P-p-p-please. It's not like that." AJ said. "He wouldn't even be interested in someone like me anyway. Someone like Zelda is more his type." She said.

"Someone like me?" Zelda asked.

"Y-you know. Someone who's smart and c-confident. Tom and I share a l-love of literature and writing, but he would never fall for someone who can't say a single sentence without a st-stutter." AJ said.

"You never know. He could find the stutter to be cute." Lucy teased.

AJ blushed once more and buried her face into her pillow. The girls laughed together at AJ and her embarrassment. "Alright girls, let's not tease her too much." Miriam said through her laughter.

The Killer Hydra girls meanwhile were similarly having their own bonding session on some tables outside. Nicky and Ciara were playing their instruments together while Kyoko and Maddie watched them. Maddie was holding a small orange tabby cat. The session was supposed to help Ciara get over her love issues, but it wasn't working too well.

"Your violin sounds great Nicky, but I'm just not feeling the guitar today." Ciara told her sitting down.

"You still feeling down about Kai?" Kyoko asked her.

Ciara nodded and put her head down. "I know it turned out to be a misunderstanding, but now I don't even know what to feel. I always thought that my soulmate would be the guy who laughed at my jokes. Then that guy showed up, but he didn't love me back. Now I'm not even sure if I loved him, or if I loved the fact that he laughed at my jokes." She yelled in frustration.

"I still can't believe we voted someone out over a misunderstanding. Dante made it seem like Kai was manipulating your feelings the whole time." Maddie said.

Nicky gave Maddie a soft glare. "You're really not helping right now." She scolded Maddie.

"Sorry Kitten. I think it's better if I stay quiet." Maddie said miming a zipper locking over her mouth.

Nicky shook her head, and quickly turned her attention back to Ciara. "Maybe you're going about this the wrong way. There's a reason you turned down Kai in the end, and I think you know what it is. I don't really have any experience with love myself, so I could be wrong but I think you know who you want. You just need to think about it." She said.

"That was pretty deep Kitten." Maddie told her.

"What happened to staying quiet?" Nicky asked.

"I'm not allowed to praise my dear friend's words of wisdom now?" Maddie asked.

"We're focusing on Ciara right now." Nicky said.

Ciara looked at the two of them bickering and smiled. "Thanks for the help girls. I don't think that Max or Dante would have been helpful with this stuff." She said.

"We didn't really do much though." Kyoko admitted.

"No, but I appreciate that you're at least here for me." Ciara said. She picked up her guitar and started to tune it hoping to get some more practice in with Nicky now that she was feeling a bit better.

"By the way, where did you get that cat from?" Kyoko asked Maddie pointing at the small feline she was holding.

Maddie looked briefly over to Nicky who nodded in approval. "She followed Kitten from the feline room that Chris threw her into last challenge. Kitten really liked this little girl, and I did too so we decided to adopt her." Maddie explained.

"The two of you adopted a cat together?" Kyoko asked in disbelief.

"Well its not official, but once were done with this game we can get the paperwork set up. I doubt Chris really cares what happens to the animals he uses for the challenges and we'll take much better care of her then he would." Maddie said.

"Are you going to dye the cat's hair blue like yours? Ciara asked as she continued to tune her guitar.

Maddie's eyes began to sparkle in excitement while Nicky looked concerned. "That's a great idea Ciara. I just need to buy more hair paint thingy and then we can have matching hair styles." Maddie said.

"It's called hair dye, and you are not dying our cat's hair. Who knows what kind of negative effects it could have on the poor thing." Nicky said snatching the cat out of Maddie's hands.

"Come on Kitten it'll be fine. If you want I can do your hair too." Maddie offered.

"The blue hair looks fine on you, but there is no way I'm letting you dye my hair." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Maddie and Nicky were never really that close before. I guess with AJ going on the other team, Nicky had to replace AJ with Maddie as her new best friend. Still, I can't believe that they got a cat together. That's probably the weirdest thing that's happened on this show." Kyoko said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Maddie and Nicky continued their playful arguments about their newly adopted cat until Chris made his daily announcement over the loudspeaker.

"Get ready everyone because it's breakfast time, and challenge time." He announced.

"Where are you going to keep the cat during challenges?" Kyoko asked Maddie and Nicky as they began walking towards the Mess Hall. The two girls looked at each other unsure.

"We didn't really think that part out." Nicky said.

"Can't we just keep her in the cabin?" Maddie asked.

"Probably not the best idea. She could get into our stuff. We don't really know how well she was trained before Chris grabbed her from who knows where for the challenge. Don't forget that I do have a plush dog in the cabin." Kyoko said.

"She'll be a perfect little angle." Maddie said. Kyoko looked at Maddie unconvinced. "Fine, we'll just have to take her with us on challenges." Maddie said.

Shortly after everyone got their morning breakfast from Chef, they gathered to hear what the challenge of the day would be.

"Hope everyone's ready because today's challenge will test not only your aim, but also your determination and swiftness." Chris said before pausing to look at the cat Nicky was holding. "What's with the kitty Kitty?" He asked her.

"Oh this is..." Nicky started to say before getting cut off.

"Yeah, I don't really care. Now as I was saying your challenge is a game of extreme laser tag. You'll each be given a vest and a laser gun. If you get shot, then the vest will change from green to orange. A second shot changes it from orange to red. The third shot means you're out of the game. Taking out a member of the other team gives your team a point. Whoever has the most points once a team loses all their players wins." Chris explained.

"That seems simple enough." Brett smiled.

"Oh we're not done yet. Chef is also going to be playing, but it'll take a lot more than three shots to take him out. If Chef takes someone out, neither team gets the point. If anyone somehow manages to take him out though, then their team is given double the amount of points they currently have, and practically guaranteed the victory." Chris said.

The contestants looked over at Chef who had a massive grin as he held his laser gun firmly. He laughed in joy at getting a chance to hunt down the remaining players.

"Excuse me Chris, but will this game have friendly fire involved?" Genevieve asked him.

Chris stopped to think for a moment before simply shrugging. "Nothing against it. You won't get a point if you take out someone on your own team, but it'll make for good ratings so I'll allow it." He said. Chef handed out the vests and laser guns to everyone. "One last thing you should know, today's going to be a special elimination. The winning team will get to vote someone off of the losing team rather than the losing team voting someone off of their own team." Chris said. There were several gasps heard at this revelation.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"A chance to eliminate someone from the enemy team directly is invaluable. We had better not lose this opportunity." Clifford said.

 **(Switch)**

"I hope that we don't lose today. I wouldn't doubt it if my old team tried to get rid of me now that I'm not with them anymore." AJ said worried.

 **(Switch)**

"This will be the first time that both teams are present for an elimination ceremony. Just the situation I needed to ensure that Zelda pays for attempts to upstage me. Not to mention it'll get me the respect I deserve. Now I just need to make sure the pieces of this plan fall into place." Genevieve said smiling evilly.

 **(Confessional End)**

Everyone was suited up and ready to begin the challenge. Before they left however Chris had one more thing to mention from the challenge. "Just to make things more fun for me, you'll be going in teams of two with one person going alone. The teams have been chosen by me so I think you'll more than enjoy them." Chris said laughing. "Clifford and Ciara. Brett and Dante. Kyoko and Maximilian. Maddie and Kitty. Tom by himself. As for the Screaming Phoenix, you get Genevieve and Aiden. Koh and Miriam. Lucy and Anthony. Johnathan and Zelda. AJ by herself." Chris said.

The teams that he set up were met with more than it's fair share of complaints.

"Would it be possible in any way to switch partners?" Miriam asked. Chris simply laughed at her question.

"Killer Hydra, you'll start on the east side of the island. Screaming Phoenix, you'll start on the west. Chef will be somewhere in the middle. Good luck, and remember what's on the line today." Chris said before heading out. The two teams separated and went to where they would be starting the challenge.

After the teams had separated into their pairs, they headed out hoping to find the targets on the opposite team. Lucy and Anthony were walking in relative silence for the beginning of the challenge.

"So how did you and Sarah end up together?" Lucy asked him trying to break the silence.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to be talking when there could be an enemy around the corner. We shouldn't give away our location." Anthony told her quietly.

"Come on Anthony, the challenge just started. I doubt we're anywhere near a Killer Hydra member." Lucy said.

"True, but it's better to air on the side of caution. I just wish there was a way to make we could tell where the enemy was." Anthony said.

The pair walked in thought until Lucy suddenly had an idea. "Anthony, I think I know a way that we can find the enemy." She told him. "If we go to your work shed, can't you reverse engineer a tracking devise of some sort similar to what you did during the spirit challenge?" She asked.

Anthony thought about her suggestion, and nodded. "I can try to do something." He said. The pair ran off together hoping to find something useful in Anthony's work place.

Near the middle of the battleground, Ciara and Clifford were having difficulty. The two were currently escaping from Chef who had spotted them. They had been running for quite a while, and had seemed to lose him after running into a cave.

"I think we lost him." Ciara panted tiredly.

"I told you that we were wandering too far, but you didn't care to listen did you." Clifford berated.

"It was my idea to hide in this cave so we're even." Ciara said.

The pair took sat down on some of the rocks inside the cave while they waited for Chef to leave the surrounding area. "So how did you know that this cave would be nearby for us to hide in?" Clifford asked her.

"This is where Dante, Maximilian and I hid from the evil spirit." Ciara said.

Clifford rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well I suppose he did something right for once." Clifford criticized.

Ciara put her hands on her hips and turned to look at Clifford. "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked him. "Dante has pulled his fair share on the team, and he's just as valuable as anyone else." She said.

Clifford laughed at her response. "You can't be serious. The only thing he's done is give the other team advantage after advantage by helping his sister. He's an annoyance who's paranoia is only matched by his obsessiveness. He should've gotten eliminated last challenge, but the team decided to get overly sentimental about your love woes." He said.

"You could be more sympathetic. I am right here you know." Ciara said.

"It truly pains me how much I simply don't care about this. Your love problems are no concern of mine. My only concern is making sure our team is as efficient as it can be. Getting rid of a hindrance such as Dante is merely the next logical step in assuring that efficiency." Clifford told her.

Ciara stood up and stormed out of the cave. "You are such a jerk." She yelled at Clifford. Her yell echoed with the cave, and attracted Chef back to their location.

"Probably should've stayed quiet." Chef said before taking out Ciara and Clifford who had nowhere else to run. As Ciara and Clifford were eliminated from the challenge, they received a painful shock.

"What was that?" Ciara asked.

"You really think Chris wouldn't find a way to torture us in this challenge. Once we're eliminated, then the vest delivers a painful shock. A twist our dear host decided not to explain." Clifford said. The two walked back to camp, Ciara noticeably still annoyed with Clifford.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I could've pretended to care about Ciara's issues, but the truth of the matter is that it simply isn't worth my attention. I suppose getting caught by Chef wasn't the worst possible outcome. Now the other team has lost two potential points. Perhaps we can turn this into an advantage." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

While Miriam and Koh searched for possible targets, Miriam stayed much more hidden while Koh was out in the open.

"What are you doing Koh? You're going to get us caught." Miriam told her.

"Staying hidden isn't going to do much better. At least this way if someone attacks us we can attack them back." Koh argued.

"This is the same reckless behavior that lost us the capture the flag challenge." Miriam said.

"We lost that challenge due to poor coordination from Kyle." Koh said. "Why do you think that he was voted off." She asked.

Miriam pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "He was voted off because he wanted to be voted off. We all know that if he hadn't made that decision he would be here right now and you wouldn't be." She said.

"Well that doesn't matter because I am here. Now I think we should focus our efforts on finding Chef and trying to take him out. That's much more reliable than taking out the Killer Hydra by themselves." Koh said.

"Are you insane. Going after Chef directly is a suicide mission." Miriam said.

Koh laughed slightly. "I didn't know that you were such a coward." She said.

Miriam crossed her arms and looked directly at Koh. "I'm not a coward, I'm simply not as reckless as you are to go after the most dangerous target in this game." Miriam said.

"If you doubt your own abilities that much we can simply pick off the Hydra. I was of course under the impression you were an expert dancer who could use that ability to dodge in this challenge." Koh said.

Miriam paused for a moment before shaking her head. "I know exactly what you're trying to do, and it won't work. Just because you question my abilities doesn't mean I'll do what you want." She said.

"Come on Miriam, you can't honestly think that going after Chef is a bad idea. We can take him if we do it together." Koh argued.

Miriam stopped to think before reluctantly nodding her head. "If there's no talking you out of it, then fine. Just know if this plan fails and costs us the challenge it will be the last time I ever consider your strategies." Miriam said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Koh's reckless because that's worked out for her in the past. Here though she can't rely just on herself. This plan had better work out for all of our sakes." Miriam said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Seeing as how AJ was by herself in this challenge she tried to be a lot more cautious about being found. She hid mostly in bushes, and used her small size to her advantage heavily when traveling around. As she continued to search for someone from her former team to eliminate, she suddenly heard footsteps. Hiding inside of a nearby bush, she took aim. As soon as she saw who were target was she froze up. It was Tom.

"Is someone there?" Tom asked hearing AJ rustling in the bushes nervously. "If you're one of the Screaming Phoenix you should know that you can't shoot from inside the bush. You need to at least stick the gun out for the sensor to detect a hit." He said.

"I knew that." AJ said stepping out of the bush.

"AJ it's you." Tom said stepping back slightly.

"Why'd you give me the advice if you knew it was someone against you?" She asked.

"Truth be told, I was planning on shooting you as soon as you stepped out of the bush. I didn't expect it to be you though." He said.

"Is that a problem?" AJ asked him.

Tom sighed putting his laser gun back into its holster. "If I'm being honest it's still hard to see you as a member of the enemy team." He admitted.

AJ similarly put away her gun and warmly looked at Tom. "Yeah this team swap hasn't been easy on me either." She said.

"I can only imagine. How are things on the Phoenix team? Are they harassing you for being a former enemy?" He asked.

"No no no, not at all." AJ said waving her hands back and forth. "The truth is they've been really welcoming to me. I thought they were a lot meaner since they're always arguing, but it's not a bad team at all." She said.

"I guess it's a good thing you're fitting in." Tom said.

"Well it's helpful, but I still really miss being with you and the others. Our team felt like a home to me, and while the Phoenix aren't bad, it's just not the same." AJ said.

The two former teammates stood together in awkward silence for a moment. "I guess we should get back to the challenge now." Tom said ending the silence.

"Yeah we should." AJ sadly said.

"What if we eliminated each other AJ, you know as one final act of friends before we move on as enemies." Tom offered.

"Well I won't tell your team about this if you don't tell mine." AJ said.

The two former friends fired at each other, and earned a point for their team while also being taken out of the challenge. They jumped in surprise at the shock the vest delivered, but once the shock passed they laughed and walked back to camp together.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Though it hurts me to say it, AJ is the enemy and I must treat her as such from now on if I want to win. She could've been helpful for my endgame plans, but if she's going to be a distractions she's better off eliminated." Tom said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Of any pair that was stuck together, Brett and Dante had perhaps the most difficult time together. Brett attempted to be civilized with Dante, but Dante wasn't willing to extend the sentiment.

"You're walking too close to me again." Dante told Brett.

Brett took two steps back and followed at a slower pace. "You know we were working together to help Ciara and Kai out. I don't see why we can't still be on good terms." Brett told him.

"That was for Ciara, nothing else. Besides it ended up being a waste of time since Kai was just playing around." Dante grumbled.

"Come on, you know that was just a misunderstanding. We all sort of jumped the gun on getting him eliminated." Brett said.

"He claimed it was all a mistake, but why should we take his word for it. As far as I'm concerned he was just trying to save face and make himself look good before he got eliminated." Dante said.

"Kai and I were pretty close, and trust me that he wouldn't do something like that." Brett said.

Dante turned around and snapped at Brett. "Of course he would!" Dante yelled. "Guys like Kai are only after one thing, and they don't care what they have to do to get it. I thought helping Ciara would make her happy, but I'm just as much to blame for her heartbreak as he is." He yelled.

Brett walked up to Dante and put his arm on Dante's shoulder comfortingly. "Don't blame yourself dude. Things didn't work out, but Ciara seems to be getting over it." He said.

Dante slapped Brett's hand away and started walking. "I don't need your pity. I messed up with Ciara, but that just shows I need to focus on making sure that Zelda doesn't suffer the same heartbreak." Dante said.

Brett ran up to him hoping to help the guy out. As soon as Brett caught up to him though Dante angrily turned around and blasted Brett to take out one of his health bars.

"What the heck was that for?" Brett asked him. "We're on the same team you know." He said.

"We are not friends, so stop trying to treat me like one. As far as i'm concerned you're just another guy after my sister." Dante said. He aimed his laser and blasted Brett a second time.

"You're acting insane. I get that you feel bad about what happened to Ciara. You blame yourself for her feeling bad. I know she was your friend, but your need to drag Zelda into this for some reason is too much." Brett said. Dante aimed to take out Brett's last health point, but Brett blasted Dante instead.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I don't want to be too hard on him since he's still feeling down about Ciara's heartbreak, but he just went way too far this time. I can only hope that Zelda gets her team to eliminate him if they win. Not that I want him gone, but some time off the island and away from his sister will be better for him." Brett said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"You're dead." Dante said pointing his gun at Brett. Brett rolled out of the way and blasted Dante a second time. Both of them left with only a single health point, they aimed their lasers directly at each other. Neither blinked in this stare down, and they each waited for an opportunity to strike the other. Once it was clear there wouldn't be a nice opening, they simply fired at each other, and were both taken out of the game.

"We should probably go back to camp since we're out." Brett told Dante.

"I can get there myself." Dante said heading off.

To contrast with Dante's terrible time with his partner, his sister was having a much better time with her partner. They walked together laughing at their conversation.

"I can't believe you actually did something like that." Zelda told Johnathan laughing.

"Yeah, coach couldn't believe it either. I was off the team for weeks." Johnathan said shrugging.

"What did your parents say?" Zelda asked concerned.

"My parents never really found out. I got an earful from my older siblings about how I need to be more responsible." Johnathan said.

"Older siblings can be rough sometimes can't they?" Zelda asked.

Johnathan smiled at Zelda reassuringly. "Hey it's cool. Look I don't want to pry, but what's the deal with you and Dante. Why's he so over the top about you?" Johnathan asked.

Zelda looked away and kept on walking. "I'd rather not talk about it." She said.

"That rough huh?" Johnathan asked her.

"Not at all. Dante and I always had a great relationship. As I got older though he got more and more protective. The other girls think I'm enabling him." She said.

"I'm not a big fan of Dante, but you know your brother better than we do. If you're cool with him then that's not our problem." Johnathan said.

Zelda smiled warmly at Johnathan. She noticed two members from the other team and grabbed Johnathan to bring him down.

"Stay down, I think I see Kyoko and Maximilian over there." She said.

Johnathan glanced over and saw they were indeed approaching. "Let's Gooooo!" He screamed rushing at them.

"That was not the plan." Zelda yelled over to him.

Maximilian and Kyoko noticed Johnathan charging straight for them with his laser drawn, and they quickly separated to draw away his fire.

"Coming straight for us isn't the best idea." Kyoko told him.

"That's what I tried to tell him." Zelda said making her presence known as well.

"It's two against two. The playing field is even." Maximilian said.

"Not as even as you'd think. My strategic mind, and Johnathan's strength or more than a match for whatever it is you do." Zelda said.

"What we do, is creativity." Kyoko said. She picked up a pile of dirt and threw it around as a makeshift smokescreen. From there she used a pebble to knock off Zelda's glasses further imparing the girl's vision.

"That's playing dirty." Zelda yelled out.

"What you call playing dirty, I call using the terrain to my advantage." Kyoko said. She used Zelda's blindness to take out her first health point. As she was about to shoot Zelda a second time, Johnathan spotted her though the dirt cloud and fired at her. Though she lost a health point, she was saved from his attack by Maximilian pushing her to the ground.

"This isn't going anywhere. Your plan to hinder Zelda worked, but Johnathan is still a problem." Maximilian said.

"Then let's double team him. I head left, and you head right." Kyoko said.

The two worked together and got Johnathan in the middle of their assault. He struggled to take on the two of them, but they moved faster than he could target. Just as it seemed they were going to take him out, Chef arrived being drawn by the commotion and stole the kill.

"One down three to go." Chef said.

He took down Zelda without a problem as she was struggling to find her glasses. As Chef turned his attention to Maximilian and Kyoko, the pair used the small window of opportunity they had to escape. Johnathan grabbed Zelda's glasses and gently put them back on her face.

"You did good, next time we'll be ready for their cheap tricks." Johnathan told her. Zelda nodded and gave him a high five before the two returned to camp.

Maddie and Nicky wandered the forest to find an enemy combatant. They took turns carrying their cat around and currently Nicky held onto it. Given the fact that they were alone, they used the time to discuss more compromises on how they'd raise their adopted cat.

"What about her diet? Do you think we should give her usual cat food or go with more expensive dishes?" Maddie asked.

Nicky thought on the question slightly. "Well unless one of us wins this I don't think we can afford much more than just standard cat food." She said.

Maddie nodded. "We should probably give her a name. You have anything in mind?" She asked.

"Well I did have one name in mind. What do you think of calling her Nicole?" Nicky asked.

"That's a nice name. When did you have time to come up with it?" Maddie asked.

"Oh you know... just now." She said laughing nervously.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Okay so I named our cat after my youngest sister. She always treats me like the family pet so I figured naming my new baby cat after her is only fair." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"So you're sure that we can't paint her hair blue?" Maddie asked.

"For the last time no." Nicky told her.

"What about when she's older. If she wants it when she's older we'll let her right?" Maddie asked.

"You do remember she's our cat not our child don't you?" Nicky asked.

Maddie laughed and gently took Nicole from Nicky's hands. "Of course I know that. I just love this little girl so much. I'm glad we adopted her Kitten." She said caressing Nicole.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I ever called you psychotic. You're one of the greatest individuals I've ever met." Nicky told her.

"You called me psychotic?" Maddie asked.

"Well never to your face, but you have to admit you make a rough first impression. Especially when Gonzo was still here. The two of you are a disaster together." Nicky said.

"I take being called a disaster as a complement." Maddie said sticking her tongue out at Nicky playfully. "Watch out Kitten, I see rich girl and cowboy coming this way. It's too risky to take Nicole into a direct confrontation." Maddie said. The pair hid behind a tree and watched as their opponents approached.

"I thought I heard her around here." Genevieve said.

"Who exactly are you looking for?" Aiden asked her.

"I need that blue haired pyromaniac's help." Genevieve said.

"But she's on the other team." Aiden pointed out.

"I know that. How does Koh put up with your insufferable commentary?" Genevieve asked. She looked around frustrated there was no sight of Maddie. "If there's anyone with a passion for starting fires nearby, I have an offer for you." She yelled out.

There was silence as Nicky and Maddie stayed hidden. Genevieve turned to leave figuring that she had imagined hearing Maddie. Before she was gone though Nicole wormed her way out of Maddie's arms and went up to Genevieve rubbing her leg.

"I guess Nicole wanted to hear Genevieve's offer. She must take after me in loving fire." Maddie said as she and Nicky walked up to get Nicole.

"What is that creature?" Genevieve asked stepping away from Nicole.

"That's our baby cat Nicole. We are in the process of formally adopting her." Nicky said.

"And she isn't a creature!" Maddie yelled out.

Genevieve whiped off the few pieces of fur Nicole left behind. "Yes, well I only deal with animals of the finest breed. Now, I require Maddie's assistance." She said.

"What do you need that you can't get from your own team?" Nicky asked.

"As I said, I require someone with a passion for fire, and your passion is unmatched." Genevieve said. "How would you like to light tonight's fire for elimination? The one Chef makes is so weak, and you could provide truly marvelous and intense flame." She said.

Nicky eyed Genevieve suspiciously. "What's the catch?" She asked.

"No catch, no strings attached. You simply agree to this, meet me before elimination, and you get to make today's fire." Genevieve said.

"But why?" Nicky asked.

"Does the why truly matter? This can't help us in the challenge you know." Genevieve said.

Nicky looked unsure while Maddie was far more excited about the offer.

"I'll do it!" Maddie yelled practically throwing Nicole up in excitement.

"Don't you think we should talk about this? Nicky asked.

"What's there to talk about. I've always though the eliminations could use a bit more flare, and what's better than letting me take care of the fire." Maddie said.

"I don't think trusting Genevieve is a good idea." Nicky said.

"What's the worst that could happen Kitten?" Maddie asked.

"While I don't have much better to do, I also grow tired of this arguing. Meet me before elimination if you agree. If not, well you'll never get a chance like this again." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Genevieve is planning something big. She's never been too much of a threat, but let's see what goes down." Aiden said.

 **(Switch)**

"I know for a fact she's going to agree. Her little friend may have put some doubt, but that girl has a single track mind. She won't stop thinking about my offer, and I can use that to my advantage." Genevieve said.

 **(Switch)**

"Kitten might have a point, but how can I pass this up?" Maddie asked. "What do you think I should do Nicole?" She asked her cat. Nicole simply purred and fell asleep in Maddie's lap.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Oh by the way ladies, Chef is right behind you." Genevieve said walking away. As the pair turned around, Chef easily eliminated them from the challenge.

"Aint you worried about our safety?" Aiden asked as he saw Chef moving on to them.

"Not really. I have more important matters. I need to make a stop to the intern's camp to get something from them. It'll be easy to get them to do what I need." She said walking off. Just as Adien had said, Chef took the two of them out and left to see if he couldn't find Kyoko and Maximilian once more.

As Koh and Miriam continued their search for Chef, the ended up finding Lucy and Anthony instead. The pair had finished working on the radar that would help them out in the challenge.

"It's good to see that we aren't the only ones left." Miriam told Lucy and Anthony.

"What's with the tablet?" Koh asked pointing to the tablet like device that Anthony had.

"It's a radar that Lucy helped me work on. Since these laser guns are infrared, the radar picks up that signal and gives us an approximate location of where it came from. The range is a little small, and there's no way of knowing who's enemy or ally." Anthony said.

Koh took the radar from Anthony and studied it closely. "This could help us in our search for Chef." She told Miriam.

"You're actually trying to take down Chef. That sounds like a suicide plan." Anthony said

"That's what I tried telling Koh. If I'm being honest though, taking down Chef seems to be the best option for winning this challenge at this point. I don't think there's too many of us left, and there's no real way of telling who's in the lead." Miriam said.

"You want to join us?" Koh asked them.

Lucy and Anthony looked at each other briefly before they reluctantly nodded. "At this point I think that is the best idea. Chef can't fire at all of us at the same time, so if we all rush him then he'll go down without a problem." Lucy said.

Anthony's radar began to beep heavily showing several lasers being fired not too far from them. The four of them ran off hoping to catch the source of this before it went away. As for what it was, Chef was taking down his next two targets Kyoko and Maximilian.

"How much health did Chris give him?" Kyoko asked firing at Chef while hiding behind a bush. "He's not going down and we've hit him more than enough." She said.

"You think that retreating would be a better idea?" Maximilian asked her.

"At this rate Chef will pick us off if we try to run. Our battle with Zelda and Johnathan left both of us at low health." Kyoko said. She fired another shot towards Chef causing his health to change from green to orange. "Are you kidding me. After all of that and he's only lost the equivalent of one of our health points." Kyoko complained.

"Look out Kyoko." Maximilian warned. It was too late however as Chef managed to hit her just before she could retreat to her hiding spot.

Chef aimed carefully now that he only had a single target to focus on, and hit Maximilian leaving him with a single health point. "I love this job sometimes." He said holstering his laser gun. As Kyoko headed back to camp, the four remaining Screaming Phoenix arrived at the battlefield. Chef saw the new targets and smirked. "Once I take you out, this game is over." He laughed.

"Good luck trying to hit all of us." Miriam said.

"Split up, and make focus all of your firepower at him." Koh ordered.

Lucy and Anthony went to flank Chef's left side while Koh moved over to his right side. Miriam stayed in the center, but kept her movement unpredictable and hard for Chef to hit with her dance skills. Chef frantically switched from target to target, but the four of them moved quickly enough that he wasn't able to get any real good hits in on him. As their momentum went well, Lucy accidentally tripped giving Chef the opening he needed.

"Big mistake girl." Chef said aiming his gun at Lucy. Despite the fact that she was still at full health, Chef was able to rapidly fire his laser gun to deplete Lucy's health before she had a chance to avoid him any further.

"Lucy's down, but we can still do this. Just keep your movement erratic so he can't aim." Miriam said.

The three remaining players continued their strategy. With multiple hits coming from various angles that Chef couldn't react to, they managed to bring his health into the red. "Now it's time to get serious." Chef said.

Chef pulled out a second laser gun and used it to widen the areas he was able to hit. Anthony, not having the best stamina or endurance began to tire and Chef used this to pick the inventor off.

"Damn it, it's just you and me now Miriam." Koh said.

"You focus on taking him down. I'll attract his fire so you'll be safe." Miriam said.

Miriam threw her laser gun over to Koh, putting her on equal footing with Chef in terms of fire power. Without having to worry about firing as well as dodging, Miriam was able to evade Chef's fire much better. As hard as he tried, Chef simply couldn't aim with Miraim's erratic and unpredictable movement. By incorporating her vogue dance into her strategy, she created the most difficult target that Chef had ever faced.

"I might not be able to take you down dancing girl, but Koh on the other hand isn't as quick to dodge." Chef said. He turned his focus away from Miriam, and instead fired rapidly and intensely at Koh. She only had a second to react to this sudden barrage of lasers, and her health was depleted in an instant.

"It's up to you Miriam." Koh told her.

Miriam slid over Koh and picked up the two lasers. Chef used this split second window to blast her hoping to take her out. Miriam was able to react just in time to get out of that tough spot with a single bar of health left.

"We've each got one shot left. You can dodge, but can you shoot?" Chef taunted.

Miriam confidently looked at Chef and ran up to him. Seeing this as his best opportunity, Chef waited until Miriam was directly in front of him to fire. In a second before Chef could pull the trigger however, Miriam rolled, and used the momentum to flip over Chef. In the air above him she aimed and fired the killing shot to take him down.

"How's that for shooting." Miriam said.

Maximilian, who was still hidden in the bush nearby saw the opportunity to take Miriam down, and fired a shot at her. Thanks to Anthony's radar however Miriam knew where Maximilian was hiding and dodged in time to fire at him instead.

"All of the Killer Hydra have been eliminated. Everyone report back to the campground to find out who the winner is." Chris announced through the loudspeaker.

Chef approached Miriam and Koh giving the two of them a salute. "That was some good shooting girls. I'd be glad to go to war with the pair of you." He said before walking off.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"While I'm still a bit cautious around Koh, I have to admit her plan to go after Chef paid off. She's reckless, but with a good amount of teamwork we might just be able to make that work." Miriam said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Once everyone made it back to the campground, they were greeted by Chris who had the results of the challenge.

"What a challenge. Chef took out quite a few of you, but I think that the biggest appeal was seeing how the Screaming Phoenix managed to take him out. I guess Miriam's dancing is for more than just putting on a show." Chris said.

"Does that mean we won the challenge?" Lucy asked hopeful.

"Yes it does. You get to vote off a Killer Hydra today. It was clear who the winner would be. Not only did you guys manage to take down Chef, but Brett and Dante took each other out rather than going after you guys." Chris said. The Killer Hydra looked over at Brett and Dante. While Brett looked embarrassed, Dante seemed more indifferent with his usual angry expression.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"They fired at each other." Clifford said in disbelief. "I'm surrounded by idiots." He said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Shortly after the challenge had ended and the results were given out, the Screaming Phoenix were gathered around to decide who it would be that they voted off from the Killer Hydra.

"AJ you were on their team. Who would be the biggest loss for them to lose?" Genevieve asked her.

AJ looked around nervously, and shook her head. "I don't really know. We all played an equal part on the team. Clifford and Tom were the ones coming up with most of our strategies, but Maddie also had good ideas. Brett and Dante took care of physical stuff while Ciara, Nicky, and Kyoko brought a lot of heart to the team. We were really balanced." AJ said.

"Well we need to get rid of someone. Why not get rid of Dante?" Genevieve suggested.

"You're only suggesting that because you hate Zelda. Besides, he's honestly more helpful to us seeing as how he's more than willing to throw away challenges if it means helping out his sister." Koh said.

"Can we not weaponize my brother's affection." Zelda complained.

"Well if you aren't going to do anything to stop it, then we might as well take advantage of it." Miriam said.

"Alright, let's all just take a breather before things get tense." Johnathan said defusing the situation.

"I think it's clear that Clifford or Brett are the two best options to vote off. Clifford is their biggest assent in the mental capacity, while Brett is their biggest asset in the physical capacity." Anthony said.

"Yeah." Lucy nodded. "Losing one of them will make it much easier for us to win." She said.

"Then it's agreed." Genevieve said standing up. "We shall vote for either Clifford or Brett. I'll see you all at the elimination ceremony." She said smiling.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

Genevieve was adjusting her hair in the mirror making sure she looked perfect. "Everything has fallen into place for my opportunity tonight. Now I just need to sit back and watch the show." She said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Everyone was gathered for the elimination ceremony. "Quite the game out there you guys. I don't know what was the best part, seeing Brett and Dante take each other out, or seeing Miriam and Koh humiliate Chef." Chris said laughing. "As you know the loser today is chosen by our winning team. It was a very close vote, but the person they've decided to get rid of is...

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Brett." Chris revealed.

Brett stood up and took his elimination proudly. "It was a fun game, and I'm glad to say that I made plenty of good memories here. Dante, we may not have always seen eye to eye, but I'm going to miss you too. Let me know if you ever want to take my offer to help you with your workout." He said. Dante mostly ignored him, but did offer a brief nod.

As Brett was tied onto the Pendulum of Shame, most of the contestants started to disperse from the campfire pit and head back to their cabins, They were stopped however when Genevieve got everyone's attention.

"This is quite the fire. Much more intense than the usual one. Then again this was set up by Maddie and not Chef this time." She said.

Nicky turned to Maddie surprised. "You took her offer to set up the fire for elimination?" She asked.

Maddie rubbed her arm slightly embarrassed. "I know you told me not to Kitten, but I couldn't resist." She said. She looked into the fire and her eyes sparkled with pride. "I had no idea if I was going to be eliminated today, and I wanted to make sure that if I did I went out with something to be remembered for." She said.

Genevieve laughed and moved directly in front of the fire. "Oh you'll be remembered for tonight, I can guarantee it." She said. "This fire is quite impressive, but I think it's lacking something." She said. She began to dig into her bag before grabbing onto something. "I know what to add." She said before pulling Zelda's stuffed dog out of her bag and holding it over the fire.

"What are you doing with him!" Zelda yelled panicking. Dante moved to tackle Genevieve, but she held her free hand out to stop him.

"Nobody will move until I say so, otherwise this disgusting thing is going directly into the fire pit." She said. Dante growled angrily, but stood in his place.

"Give me back my dog!" Zelda yelled over to Genevieve.

"You'll get this back, after I'm done. It's become abundantly clear that none of you are treating me with the dignity or respect I deserve. Perhaps by making an example out of her you'll see why I am not someone to be trifled with." Genevieve yelled out.

There were various reactions to Genevieve's current stunt. Some such as Zelda, AJ, and Kyoko had a fearful expression. Others such as Dante, Maddie, and Miriam had an angry expression. There were even a few including Clifford and Koh who had an indifferent or uncaring expression.

"What do you want me to do?" Zelda asked weakly.

"Now we're getting somewhere. I want you to beg... no... better yet I want you to grovel. I want you to get on the floor and plead to me that I spare this ragged old thing." Genevieve said.

Zelda did exactly as Genevieve demanded and dropped to the floor. Though her face was covered, her tears were noticeable. "Genevieve please spare my dog. He hasn't done anything to deserve this. Do whatever you want to me, but leave him alone." She said.

Genevieve laughed at Zelda's request. "That's the best you can do. I'm not feeling the groveling yet. Come on, where was your fighting spirit from earlier. What happened to simply ignoring Genevieve?" She mocked.

"Alright princess, you've had your fun and you've made your point. Give her back the dog now." Miriam yelled over to Genevieve.

Genevieve turned her eyesight slowly towards Miriam. "I don't recall asking for your input street rat. You may have been the hero of today's challenge with your silly dance moves, but if you don't stay out of this, then this thing goes straight into the fire." Genevieve threatened.

"Please stop. Just tell me what you want to hear and I'll say it." Zelda frantically said.

Genevieve smiled and motioned to Zelda. "You may approach me, but don't even think of trying to snatch the dog back. If fact, don't even bother getting back up. I want you to crawl over to me like the subservient child you are." She said.

Zelda crawled her way over to Genevieve until she was directly in front of her. Her dear stuffed dog was in her eyesight, but it was clear that any sudden movement and Genevieve would throw it into the fire.

"Now what do you want me to do." Zelda asked her.

"I think my point has been made. All that remains is for you to say that I Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire am leagues above you, and you were an imbecile for ever thinking you could compare to me. Do that, and your little plaything will be returned to you." Genevieve said.

"Okay. You Genevieve are..." Zelda started to say before Genevieve shoved her with her foot.

"My full name. I want to hear it from you." She demanded.

Zelda looked up to her dog and took a deep breath. "You Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire are leagues above me. I was an imbecile for ever thinking I could compare to you." She said.

Genevieve smiled in satisfaction. "Music to my ears. Since day one you have all mocked me. I have not been given the respect someone of my caliber deserves, and I will not stand for it any longer. You've all underestimated my abilities, and I want tonight to be a reminder of what happens to those who underestimate me." She said. She took one final look at Zelda and at the other contestants before firmly throwing Zelda's dog into the fire.

"No!" Zelda yelled frantically trying to catch it before it caught fire. She was unfortunately too late, and could only watch as her precious plush was consumed by the intense flame Maddie had set up.

"What did you do that for?" Miriam asked. "She did everything you asked her to do." She yelled.

"Had I returned it, I would've shown a sign of weakness. It wouldn't have been long before you all returned to mocking me. This is a sign of what happens when you cross me. Don't forget anytime soon." Genevieve said.

Zelda watched helplessly as her stuffed dog burned to nothingness. Completely enveloped in tears, she ran off deep into the forest. Dante growled at Genevieve once more, but she payed him no attention. He rushed over to where she was sitting, but was held back by Johnathan.

"You don't want to do this." Johnathan told Dante.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't." He said.

"Beating the crap out of Genevieve isn't going to help anything. What she did was beyond messed up, but you aren't going to fix things like this." Johnathan said.

"It'll make me feel better." Dante said. "Now let go of me before I take you down with her." He threatened.

Johnathan's expression didn't change at all with Dante's threat. "I'm not as scared of you as you think. You think you can do whatever you want with no consequences just because you're stronger than most people. I've got news for you Dante, nobody cares about you or your obsession with your sister." He said.

"I'm keeping her safe." Dante said.

"No, you're not. Look, I'm a chill guy. I don't like to have problems. Beyond that I think you and Zelda should deal with your sibling issues together. Still, it's far past time someone gave you a news flash. All you do is control her and use taking care of her as an excuse to validate your behavior." Johnathan said.

Dante struggled to get past Johnathan, but couldn't get out of his grip. "Maximilian, Ciara, tell him that he's wrong. You two know that everything I do, I do it for Zelda." He said.

His friends stayed quiet for a moment. "Dante, you know we're friends so I tell you this with the best of intentions. I do think you care about your sister, but you take it too far. You can be controlling, and that's a problem." Maximilian told him.

"I just want to keep her happy." Dante argued.

"Then why aren't you with her now?" Johnathan asked. "She just ran off in tears, and instead of going to comfort her you're busy arguing with me and trying to assault Genevieve. If you care as much as you say what are you still doing here." He asked.

"I... I... I don't know what to say to help her through this." Dante admitted.

"That's just sad dude. You talk a big game of protecting your sister, but now that she actually needs help you can't even bother to try." Johnathan said. He let go of Dante and went off to try and find Zelda himself. Dante looked at Genevieve once more, before heading off angrily in the opposite direction of where Zelda ran off. Still shocked by what went on, some contestants slowly started to disburse and head back to their cabins.

"Are you okay?" Nicky asked Maddie.

"No. This is my fault. The fire Chef makes isn't strong enough to completely destroy Zelda's dog the way the one I made did. I should've listened to you and not fallen into Genevieve's game." Maddie said.

"Don't blame yourself. This was all Genevieve's doing." Nicky said.

"But I helped her do it. Zelda's pain is as much my fault as it is hers. Take good care of Nicole for me Kitten. I don't think she'll want someone like me to take care of her after this." Maddie said handing Nicky their cat and sadly walking back to their cabin. Nicky tried to reach out to Maddie, but Maddie did not seem to listen.

"I hope you're proud of yourself. Enjoy this victory because the next time we lose you aren't escaping elimination." Miriam told Genevieve.

"Your threat is noted, but is of no concern to me. I wouldn't have done something like this if I didn't have a good enough way to avoid the repercussions that followed. Don't underestimate me any further." Genevieve said walking off uncaring.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"All went according to plan. Tomorrow begins phase two so that this little ploy doesn't end in my elimination." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Deep in the forest Dante was punching a tree to get out his frustration. His fists were already starting to bleed from how hard he was hitting the bark. Ciara noticed Dante's act and rushed over to stop him.

"What are you doing. You're going to break your hand if you keep at this." She yelled in concern.

"What do you care. What does anyone care. The only thing I've ever been good at was taking care of Zelda, and now it turns out I can't do that right either. I'm useless so who cares what happens to me." Dante yelled punching the tree once more.

Ciara ripped the bottom of her shirt and wrapped it around Dante's hand to stop the bleeding. She held his hand carefully and calmly. "I care about you Dante. You have a rough exterior that pushes people away, but once you let someone in they can see just how sweet you are." She told him.

"You don't mean that." He bitterly said.

"Yes I do Dante. I can see past the tough guy act you put on. Even if you do take it too far sometimes, you care so much about your sister, and just want her to have the best life possible. Beyond that, you care about Max and me. When I was going after Kai you helped me along the way, and when you thought he was just using me, you made sure he wouldn't be around anymore. You care about us, so let us care about you." She said.

"You're better off without me. All I do is disappoint everyone." He said.

"Damn it Dante stop trying to shove me away. Let me in, let me help you." Ciara yelled at him.

"Why should I?" Dante asked her.

"Because I love you." Ciara yelled at him. "I thought I loved Kai, but I just loved him laughing at my jokes. I love you Dante. I love how you feel you need to hide your sweet side. I love how protective you get to those you care about. I love your devotion. I love your attitude. I don't care if you don't laugh at any of my jokes, because I love you." Ciara confessed to him.

Dante stood speechless for a moment. He grabbed Ciara by the waist and lifted her up so the two could share a passionate kiss. They stood together embraced in the moonlight sky. They broke off their kiss and smiled at each other.

"I think I love you too. I haven't felt love in a long time, but there has to be a reason I put up with you for so long." Dante joked.

"Shut up and kiss me again." Ciara said.

The two fell to the ground together and stayed there, together embracing to get through the night ready to face whatever advertises came the next day together.

"I have no words for what just happened, but the ratings are going to be the highest we have ever seen. Join us next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island to see how everyone manages to recover from this dramatic night." Chris said.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro: The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

18\. Brett Drake: The Powerhouse Man

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Clifford, Maddie, Tom, Maximilian, Ciara, Kyoko, Nicky, and Dante

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Johnathan, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, AJ, and Zelda

 **Apologies to Eternos137 for Brett's** **elimination** **. I honestly regret a lot about what I did with Brett, and he's one of the characters who I hate how I handled the most so far. He's a great character, but I don't think I really used him well. I don't feel I ever did a good job with the running gag of his shirt ripping. It was either too much, or too little. I don't think I had a good balance with that joke. There also wasn't much for Brett to do. I originally was going to give him a rivalry with Dante, but I scrapped that since Dante already had more than enough going on and didn't need another plot point. I tried giving him a friendship with Kai or Johnathan, but neither of those panned out the way I hoped either. I know I'm going to have a lot of regrets along the way as I write this, and currently Brett is a big one. I hope you still like how he was portrayed despite my** **screw ups** **. I didn't originally intend for him to go this chapter, but circumstances made me push him up a bit. It does make sense that the Phoenix would want to get rid of the biggest physical threat the enemy has anyway.**

* * *

 **A/N: This has to be the fastest I've ever finished a chapter. As I said last time this is a chapter I've been waiting since the beginning to get to. When I first started the story I had a few general plot points thought up, and Genevieve burning Zelda's stuffed dog was one that I fell in love with. Up until now the rich girl wasn't taken seriously by anyone and was seen more as an annoyance than an actual antagonist. This changes that, and makes her more hated among her fellow contestants. For those of you who enjoyed Genevieve being a more subdued villain, don't worry she isn't going to be changing too much. This harsh act was because Zelda pushed her too far, and she demanded respect. While things won't ever be exactly the same with her, she'll be back to her usual personality soon enough. Genevieve is a complex character, and her development is nowhere near over. This is just the start.**

 **The challenge this chapter was a bit weak, and I don't think I did too good of a job with it. The challenge was suggested by Eternos137, so at least you got to see your challenge suggestion to make up for your OC being eliminated. Hope I did a good enough job that it was still enjoyable. In case you couldn't tell it's supposed to based off of Fortnite. I don't really play the game too much, so it was a bit hard to do. I think the laser tag element stood out more than the Fortnite stuff did. As for Chris having the winning team vote off someone from the losing team, that was honestly just an easy way for me to get all the contestants gathered around for Genevieve's burning session. My original thought was to have Genevieve manipulate the situation to get everyone gathered around, but I quickly realized how difficult it would be to do that realistically. Pretty much everyone dislikes Genevieve and finds her to be an annoyance, so why would they willingly go to the enemies elimination ceremony just because she told them to. The Chris twist was just much easier.**

 **Then there's the ending. Oh boy the ending. Not only did Genevieve solidify herself as the most hated contestant, but she also just painted a huge target on her back. The rich girl is smarter than people give her credit for, but how will she manage to survive past this? Maddie is devastated that she let Genevieve manipulate her pyromaniac tendencies for her own evil. Zelda is utterly heartbroken losing the thing she cared about most, and Dante isn't being helpful in the slightest. How will she recover from this devastating blow? Dante finally got called out for his obsessive and even possessive attitude towards Zelda. I know there are quite a few who were waiting for something like this. Finally, there's the shocking twist of Dante and Ciara hooking up. I think that will be met with a lot of controversy. Some will love, I think most will hate, but their love story isn't entirely over yet.**

 **If I'm being honest, I imagined this chapter and the next one as being a two-parter. The ending of this chapter leads directly into the next one, and the fallout from the ending of this chapter will be the main focus for next chapter. Next time will have it's own challenge of course, but these two are more connected than any other chapter since the first two. I'll probably have that one out next week or really soon after because I've already started working on it. Hope this chapter was as impactful as I imagined it to be. It was so much fun to write out. It's also my longest chapter ever. Don't expect more of this length, but I am proud of that accomplishment. We're 8 reviews away from reaching 100 total, so let's see if we can't hit that before next chapter. I can't wait to see how everyone reacts to this chapter, and the next one as well.**


	13. A Brother's Heart

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ I can tell you're eager for the next chapter. Then again, after that ending, it'd be hard not to be hyped. Koh might not have been that close to Zelda, and she was a bit more indifferent to Genevieve's tactic, but let me guarantee you she's not going to stand around doing nothing. She'll be after Genevieve just as much as the others.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ You have a point about the chapter being really girl-oriented. I think it's because in general, I enjoy the female OC's I got a lot more than the male ones. That's not to say the male ones were bad, but I am enjoying developing the girls a lot more. The guys will get some stuff to do don't worry about that. Sorry about Brett, but thanks for at least being understanding about it. I'm glad you liked what I did with him even if I myself was a bit dissapointed. Dante's development was nice, and this chapter will build on that beautifully.

 _ **Critica7-**_ An ending to remember indeed. I didn't know Brett had so many fans. If I did I'd have kept him around more and tried to build a plot for him. Still, you can't change the past, and I think it's for the best that he's gone rather than me trying to force something that isn't working. I liked him a lot, but I never really figured out how to use him. Dante getting called out was long awaited by both readers and the characters themselves. It's great that his actions are finally getting some consequences. Genevieve is a lot of things, but one thing she isn't is unprepared. Just because she's a rich brat, doesn't mean she can't come up with a good backup plan. Really glad you're interested in Dantiara (name stolen from Nikolai777). They'll get a bit more focus coming up. I'll send you a PM about your story as soon as I'm caught up. I started it, and it's good so far.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Nice to know the challenge was better than I thought. Genevieve really turned her bitch switch up to 100 with that move, but I'm glad that makes you like the character even more. Sometimes the villains are just too much fun, and I definitely have the most fun with her. I'm slowly working to make background characters such as Kyoko and Clifford more prominent. Really loving all the support for Dantiara even though they broke up the former fan favorite ship of Kaiara. Dante has a lot of soul searching to do after last night, but Ciara is there to help him along the way. Maddie is a fun character, so glad you like her too.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ That's a bit of an understatement. I don't think it's too much of an exaggeration to say that the chapter will have major ramifications throughout the rest of the game.

 _ **Candela Monsoon-**_ Don't worry too much if you can't leave a review. The fact that you're reading this story without even having a character in it means a lot, and it's so relieving that you're enjoying it without some kind of personal investment. Thanks for the words of encouragement in regard to my regret towards Brett. I think Author's Regret is an issue I'm going to have to deal with before I get used to it. The bright side is despite how badly I think I messed up, readers are still responding positively and giving me so much support. It helps keep me going so much, and I appreciate everyone for this.

 _ **Nikolai777-**_ Can I just say I love these long reviews. Where have you been for so long. I'm kidding mostly. I appreciate all reviews, large or small. Glad to see you have so much to say though because that tells me I've done a good job giving you something to talk about. I think a lot of people will hold last time as their new favorite episode. I know it's my new favorite, and one I'm pretty proud of. It was a bit hard working in so many interactions, but I knew for the big moment at the end to have the biggest possible impact, I'd have to feature everyone left in some memorable way. Whether it be the girl bonding session, or the team interactions in the challenge, everything was set up to deliver the most satisfying build up to that dramatic end. This was meant to be a big moment, and it truly feels like it. This is going to be remembered so fondly not just because it changes the state of the game as we know it, but also because it was just so dramatic to read. Genevieve is a diamond tier antagonist, and I am so grateful I get to write someone as fun as her. It's also amazing to hear I got one of the most vocal Dante haters to give Dantiara a chance. Not to mention I got to steal that name from you.

 _ **NostalgiaMaster1996-**_ Didn't know you were reading either. I guess I should stop assuming that people who don't review or PM aren't still reading. You have a point sometimes there's just not much to say. I should probably apologize for how badly Zelda got treated last time, but let me say that you might want to wait a bit. She's down, but is she out? Time will tell. It's a huge relief to know you intended for Dante to be hated. I thought I was just making the guy really unlikable. Hope you enjoy Dantiara and what's next in the saga of your sibling OCs.

 _ **Guest-**_ A very valid question. I admit, it does seem a bit early to make such a dramatic play like this. Originally I had planned for this to take place the night before the merge. I moved it up however for a very important reason that might make sense as things play out. I don't intend for every single time to be as intense as last time. There will be a bit of a breather so tensions can cool down a bit. Let me just say thought that the game won't be the same it was starting off.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. The Phoenix girls welcomed AJ to their team while the Hydra girls helped Ciara get over her relationship issues. Maddie and Kitty adopted a cat... for some reason. The teams were then split up and put into the largest and most insane game of laser tag ever seen. Chef was out for blood, and he took out as many of those kids as he could. While everyone was fighting for their laser tag lives, Genevieve was off scheming to get some respect. In an epic showdown, Miriam and Koh managed to put aside their differences to bring Chef down, earning them his respect and the victory for their team. With the Screaming Phoenix getting to eliminate one of the Killer Hydra, it was the biggest physical threat Brett who went down. In the most dramatic turn of events however, Genevieve staged a ploy to gain the respect and fear of her fellow contestants by threatening to throw Zelda's dear stuffed dog into a fire made by none other than Maddie. After humiliating Zelda for everyone to see, Genevieve tossed away the dog anyway, breaking the pink loving genius. First she donates a yacht to the greatest host, and now she brings the greatest ratings ever seen. This girl is the best contestant we've ever had. Dante was prepared to take Genevieve down, but wasn't prepared to actually comfort his sister. What was perhaps the biggest twist of the night however was Ciara and Dante hooking up and making out when Ciara tried to comfort Dante. With last night's intense standoff still fresh will anyone be ready for the next challenge? Will Dante work up the courage to talk to his sister, or will he be too busy locking lips with Ciara. How does Genevieve plan on getting out of elimination? Stay tuned because things are just getting started, here on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Jonathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

As the long night finally passed by, the next day began. Dante and Ciara were still out in the woods together. Sunlight braised over Ciara's face waking her up. She was wrapped around Dante's arms embracing the boy she confessed her feelings for the night prior. He was already awake, and was merely watching over her.

"Good morning." Dante told Ciara gently.

"How long have you been awake?" Ciara asked, moving closer to him.

"I didn't really sleep much." Dante said. "I'm glad you were able to get some rest." He told her smiling.

The pair sat up, but stayed close to each other. They were both a little sore from having spent the night on the ground, but it didn't seem to bother them.

"How are you feeling?" Ciara asked Dante.

Dante turned away from her slightly and sighed. "Not much better." He said. He took a look at his hand, still covered in blood from his assault on the tree and wrapped up with part of Ciara's shirt. "Thanks for not letting me break my hand, and for the words of encouragement." Dante said.

"I couldn't bear it if anything were to happen to you." Ciara said.

Dante sighed once more and turned his gaze away from Ciara. He stood up and began walking back to camp. Ciara looked at him confused, but followed along. "Ciara, I appreciate you helping me out, and wanting to make sure I was safe, but last night was a mistake. We shouldn't be together." He said averting her eyesight.

"What! Dante no!" Ciara yelled running up to him. She grabbed on to his arm tightly so that he couldn't leave without dragging her as well. "Dante I meant it when I said I love you, and you said you loved me back." She told him.

"Ciara you know what happened with my last girlfriend. Romance isn't something I'm good at, and the last thing I'd want to do is hurt you by messing this up." He said.

Ciara grabbed Dante's face forcing him to make eye contact with her. "Dante, despite what my flirting would indicate, I'm terrible at romance too. We can figure this out together. I know your last girlfriend left you because she was jealous of Zelda, but that won't happen with me. I love you because you care about your sister, not in spite of it." She told him.

"You will always be second place in my heart to her, you know that don't you?" Dante asked.

"As long as there's room in your heart for me I won't ever get jealous of your sister." She told him.

Dante smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Once the pair separated, they walked back to camp holding hands together. While Dante's spirits were starting to look up, Zelda was still feeling crushed. Despite Johnathan's attempts to find her, he was unable to. Most of her team was currently scouring the area she ran off to the prior night hoping to find some sign of her.

"Are you sure this is the direction where she left?" Lucy asked out of breath from the search. "We've looked everywhere, and she's still missing." She said.

"She left this way, but she could be anywhere by now." Johnathan said.

"I h-h-hope she's okay." AJ said.

"We should probably start heading back to camp." Miriam said.

"You just want to give up looking for her?" Johnathan asked her.

Miriam shook her head. "Of course not, but we need to keep a level head about this. If we exhaust ourselves looking for her now, then we won't be much help later on. We should take a break is what I'm saying." Miriam said.

"If she's gone for too long won't Chris just eliminate her from the game? Or can't we vote her off so that Chris has to find her to strap her on the Pendulum of Shame?" Lucy asked.

"A good idea, but we should probably leave that as a last resort plan." Miriam said.

"Come on knowing Chris he'll be planning some crazy challenge without any concern for what we're going through."Koh said.

"You guys go on ahead, I'm going to go over to my work place, see if that can get my mind off of what happened." Anthony said. The rest of the team headed back to the camp hoping to rest up a bit before the challenge, and another search for Zelda afterward. As Anthony entered his work shed, he was surprised to see that Zelda was already there.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"In retrospect, looking for the genius in a work environment makes the most sense." Anthony said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Anthony and Zelda stood in silence together, neither knowing what to say to the other. Zelda's face was red, and her eyes looked tired. It was clear to anyone that not only had she not gotten any sleep, but she had still been crying.

"We were worried about you." Anthony told her.

"I'm sorry. I'll get out of your way." Zelda said. She attempted to leave, but Anthony stood in the doorway, not wanting her to get lost again.

"You don't have to go." He said. "You want to talk?" He asked her.

"What's there to talk about. We both know you hate me, so just let me get out of your way, and you can get back to work." Zelda said.

Anthony shook his head in disbelief. "I don't hate you." He said. "Where did you get that idea from?" He asked.

"I'm the reason Sarah went home. You clearly never forgave Dante for it, and if it wasn't for me then he wouldn't have made that decision in the first place." Zelda told him.

Anthony moved warmly to Zelda and placed his hand over hers. "It's true I'm still bummed about what happened that night, but that doesn't mean I hate you. You're a valuable teammate Zelda, and I would hope you consider me a friend. This game hasn't given you too many chances to show off how smart you are, but it's no secret you're a genius. You're far smarter than I am, and I'm glad I'm able to work together with such a sharp mind. The team is really worried about you, but I won't say anything about you being here until you're ready." He told her.

Zelda smiled and hugged Anthony. "Thank you Anthony. I'll try to make it back in time for today's challenge, but I just don't know if I'll be able to stand seeing her again. "She said. Her face scowled and she grit her teeth at the thought of seeing Genevieve again after what she did the night prior. Anthony nodded understandingly and headed back to camp.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I know my team needs me, but as long as she's there how can I face them again. I hate this so much. This feeling of being vulnerable and unable to do anything about it no matter how hard I try. Where's Dante when I need him? He'd know what to do." Zelda sighed burying her head in her hands and sobbing once more.

 **(Confessional End)**

Dante and Zelda were not the only pair that struggled to cope that morning. Nicky, as hard as she tried, was having difficulties with cheering Maddie up. She was in the middle of her latest attempt.

"Okay Kitten I let you drag me out to the middle of nowhere on this island, what more do you want?" Maddie asked sullenly.

"I know you still feel guilty about what happened to Zelda, but I brought you out here so we could discuss the perfect plan to get back at Genevieve without being overheard. Since she doesn't like Nicole, we'll send our baby to her cabin to lure her out. Once she's gone, we can sneak in, take one of her bags, and see how she likes it when we burn her stuff." Nicky told her.

"Sounds fun, but why don't you tell me the part in that plan where I can get Zelda her dog back?" Maddie yelled at her.

Nicky looked at Nicole hoping she had some encouragement, but the small cat seemed just as sad as her parents. "Maddie you have to stop blaming yourself. Even if you had listened to me, Genevieve would have found out some other way of destroying Zelda's dog. She was determined to do that and would have done it with or without you." Nicky said.

"When we destroyed the spirit those nights ago, she said that destroying her would transfer the curse to me and that I'd lose that which I love most. I think this is it. I've lost my love of fire. Every time I think of fire, it brings back the pain on Zelda's face. The pain I caused her." Maddie said.

"Maddie this isn't like you. Where's the Maddie I.. I... I... I got to know. Where's the crazy fun loving oddball that does whatever she wants without concern for what others think of her. Where's my little ball of excitement, my dearest Maddie?" Nicky asked.

"I don't know where she is, but do me a favor and let me know when you find her." Maddie said as she left Nicky and Nicole alone.

Nicky sighed and picked Nicole up as she walked back to where they came from.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Don't worry Nicole. I'll get your mommy back soon." She said. Nicole purred causing Nicky to smile. "You have a point Nicole, if Maddie is your mommy then what does that make me? I guess I can be your mom and Maddie can be your mommy." She said. Nicole meowed and Nicky brushed her against her cheek. "I'm talking to my cat. Oh I really hope I can cheer Maddie soon." She said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Slowly, the contestants made their way to the Mess Hall for breakfast. It was clear that Chris wouldn't take too much longer to start the day's challenge based on his current track record. Johnathan's eye's were glued to the door hoping that Zelda would come in.

"Okay Hydra, whoever sent Zelda that love letter, you clearly have feelings for her so why aren't you doing anything to try and help." He told the Killer Hydra who were gathered around.

"Someone sent Zelda a love letter?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah, I found out about it back during the game of capture the flag, but I don't know who it is. Since Clifford and Tom are the only possible guys left it has to be one of you. Johnathan said.

"I cleared my name with Dante. Take a look at the handwriting of the love note, and you'll see that it doesn't match mine." Tom said.

Everyone's gaze turned toward Clifford. He merely laughed at their accusation. "Allow me to relieve myself of your accusation. While Zelda may be considered physically attractive by societal standards, she doesn't meet the qualities that I would personally look for in a partner." He said.

"So then if it wasn't one of you, then who sent it? Any of the guys who were eliminated would have confessed their feelings before leaving." Johnathan said.

"What if one of the girls sent it?" Lucy asked.

"Well that would be irony at it's finest. Dante was so concerned about guys flirting with his sister he never once considered the possibility of her playing for the other team." Clifford said laughing. There were a few glares sent his way for him not taking the situation seriously, but he ignored them.

"AJ you were close to the Killer Hydra girls back when you were on their team. Could any of them have sent the letter?" Johnathan asked her.

"No no no. At least I don't think so. We talked about a lot of things, but nobody ever talked about Zelda." She answered.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"So dear little Zelda had a love letter sent to her, but it seems nobody wants to admit they sent it. I think I know what's going on, and if I am right, then it is oh so beneficial to me." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Dante and Ciara entered the Mess Hall together. There were several gasps of shock at the sight of the pair walking in with their arms linked, and holding hands.

"When did this happen and why wasn't I told about it?" Maximilian yelled running over to his best friends.

"Last night, and we didn't even know about it ourselves." Ciara said blushing. The two took a seat next to each other.

"Can you all stop staring." Dante yelled at everyone who's eyesight was focused onto them.

"Let them stare Dante, I like the attention." Ciara told him. She rested her head onto his shoulder and he smiled lovingly towards her.

Genevieve laughed getting the attention of the new couple. "So instead of checking on your sister who you claim to love so dearly, you instead spent the night sleeping with our resident chatelaine. I must say, that's quite pathetic." She said.

Dante squeezed Ciara's hand gently attempting to stay calm. She squeezed his hand back in support. "I don't think Dante cares about your opinion, and frankly none of us do either." Koh told Genevieve.

"What did you say?" Genevieve harshly asked.

"She said we don't care about what you think. You pulled a fast one with your move last night and it probably wasn't smart to underestimate you, but don't think that suddenly makes us afraid of you. Now we just have more reason to get rid of you." Miriam said.

Genevieve scowled, but quickly replaced it with a confident smirk. "Well you may try, but you'll see I'm not easy to get rid of." She said. She picked up a glass and raised it towards Dante and Ciara. "Congratulations to the newly formed couple, may you enjoy your brief time together before realizing you're utterly incompatible and made a drastic mistake." She told them.

"Was that her version of a compliment." Ciara asked Dante.

"I think that's as nice as she can get." Date said. "If you want I can give you a compliment after the challenge." He said trying to flirt.

Ciara and his team looked at him blankly and just stared. "Dante, I love you, but if that was your attempt at flirting with me, then please don't try again. Leave the flirting to me." She told him laughing.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I have never flirted before, what was I supposed to do? She makes it look so easy." Dante said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The rest of breakfast transpired normally, or as close to normally as they could muster. Chris arrived into the Mess Hall giving panic to the Screaming Phoenix as Zelda was still nowhere to be found.

"I hope that you are all ready for the next dangerous challenge that will test your might, determination, and willingness to survive." Chris announced.

"Can't ya give us a break? Some of the ladies are still a bit shooken from last night." Aiden said.

"Let me think about that... of course not." Chris said laughing sadistically. He was met with annoyed looks from the majority of the remaining contestants. "Ugh fine. If you're going to be babies about it then we can have the timed explosion relay race another day." Chris said. He pulled out several cards from his pocket and looked through them. "How about a camping trip? Is that easy enough for you complainers?" He asked.

"A camping trip sounds like to perfect way to bring our team spirit back up." Kyoko said.

"Alright then camping trip it is. You'll be given directions to your camping site. Once you get there, you'll have a series of tasks you can complete. Some of them are survival based while others are a bit more summer camp romance based. Different tasks will get you different points. The first team back here tomorrow morning will get bonus points. Whoever has the most points is the winner." Chris explained to them. He tossed a map to Clifford, and a second map to Miriam.

As the teams got up to head out to their camp sites, Zelda finally arrived to join them. Dante moved to hug her, but Johnathan made it over to her first glad to see she was fine.

"We thought you were lost." He told her.

"I couldn't let my team down in the next challenge could I?" She weakly asked.

"Glad to have you back braniac. We'll fill you in on the challenge along the way." Miriam told her. Zelda walked off with them leaving Dante to sigh and keep walking together with Ciara and his team.

As the Screaming Phoenix walked over to their campsite there was a deep sense of uneasiness between them.

"How much longer are we going to have to deal with this?" Koh asked Miriam.

"Deal with what?" Miriam asked.

"You know what I'm talking about, this tension on our team. I'd like to be able to go into a challenge without worrying that we're going to get into a civil war between ourselves." Koh said.

"I think the sooner we get rid of Genevieve the sooner things can get back to normal." Miriam said.

"So then why don't we just throw the challenge? If we all want her gone, then we can afford to lose this time." Koh suggested.

Miriam shook her head. "You're smarter than that Koh. Genevieve is confident she's getting out of elimination, and we can't make the same mistake of underestimating her abilities. Besides, as much as i agree that getting rid of Genevieve is a priority, we should still focus on lowering the other team's numbers as much as we can." She said.

Koh grumbled, but nodded in agreement. "Yeah you're right. I just hope we don't have to deal with the pain she is much longer." She said.

"That, I agree with." Miriam told Koh.

They made it to their campsite not too much longer, and began to set up the supplies that were provided. A few copies of the lists for survival based challenges and romantic challenges were also available for them to take a look at.

"The Killer Hydra are going to have a big advantage since they actually have a couple that can do these romantic challenges." Anthony said looking over the romantic list.

"Since when do they have a couple?" Zelda asked confused.

Her team looked at her awkwardly while Genevieve laughed at her expense. "Oh that's right, you weren't there for the momentous occasion. You were too busy sulking who knows where." She said.

"It doesn't matter who their couple is. The point is we need to do as many of the survival challenges as we can to make up for the advantage they have." Miriam said.

"The couple is Dante and Ciara." Lucy said abruptly before slamming her hands over her mouth.

"Dante and Ciara?" Zelda asked shocked.

"I'm so sorry, but I didn't have time to write in my diary last night, and I'm terrible at keeping secrets if I can't write my thoughts in there." Lucy told her.

"No it's... it's fine." Zelda said. "I'm going for a walk." She added softly.

Johnathan followed after her taking a copy of the challenges just in case. "Nice going." Koh told Lucy dryly.

"I said I was sorry." Lucy sheepishly replied.

At the Killer Hydra campsite, they set up and gathered their supplies much faster. Though they were also feeling down, they were in a much better position compared to the Screaming Phoenix.

"Alright, we've set up our camp, thus the next step should be to separate tasks. Dante, you can finally make yourself useful and take care of the romantic challenges with Ciara. The rest of us can focus on the survival challenges. We'll call it a night early so we can be well rested to arrive first, and guarantee our victory." Clifford said.

"Hopefully the Screaming Phoenix get rid of Genevieve after they lose." Nicky said.

"Don't be so rash. Genevieve might be a problem for them, but she's an advantage for us. If they somehow keep her around, then it will make winning challenges much easier for us."Clifford said.

"Don't you think what she did to Zelda was terrible?" Kyoko asked him.

"I do feel sympathy for her, but we simply cannot allow our emotions to overrule our logic." Clifford said.

"Well we should probably get started on these romantic challenges." Ciara told Dante.

Dante looked over the list and gulped nervously. "Sure, just give me a minute." He told Ciara. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and ran over to where Maximilian was.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Having a romantic challenge is not as good a first date as you'd expect." Dante said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Hey Dante, shouldn't you be with Ciara?" Maximilian asked Dante. They looked over at Ciara, and she waved flirtatiously toward Dante.

"Have you seen some of those challenges? I'm not the romantic type. There's no way I can do this." Dante said. "Maybe I should just listen to my instincts, and break things off with Ciara before I can get a chance to mess everything up." He said.

"Dante, we both know you don't mean that. You're worried about messing up, and I know you also still have Zelda in the back of your mind. As your friend though, let me assure you that you can do this." Maximilian told him.

"I don't want to hurt her. She has faith in me, but what if Genevieve is right about us and we are utterly incompatible?" Dante asked.

"You know you aren't thinking straight when you start thinking Genevieve could be right about anything. You'll only hurt Ciara if you don't try. I care about her as much as you do, just not in a romantic way. She's happy with you, and you seem to be really happy with her, so just give it a chance." Maximilian told him.

Dante smiled and gave Maximilian a friendly hug before standing up. "What'd I do to deserve a friend like you?" He asked.

"Push away everyone else until I was the only option left." Maximilian sarcastically answered. The two laughed and Dante ran off with Ciara feeling more hopeful about their relationship and the romantic challenges that followed.

As Koh and Aiden finished setting up fire, and completing another survival task, Aiden took a glance over at the romantic challenges. "What do you say you and I try a few of these romantic ones out?" He asked Koh.

"I say if you value your face, you won't even think about it." She told him walking away.

"Tough break about Koh. Then again I wonder if you really have become smitten with her or if that's part of your charade as well." Genevieve told Aiden making her presence known.

"I'm afraid I don't quite know what you're talking bout mam." Aiden told Genevieve.

Genevieve kept a calm expression as she focused on Aiden. "So it's going to take more than a single confrontation for you to drop the act. Very well, I guess I'll just have to get serious." She said.

Aiden looked at Genevieve confused. "Look Genevieve, if there's something you need help with, then just let me know. Otherwise well there ain't much I can do for ya." He said.

"Here's what you can do for me Aiden. You can drop the ridiculous cowboy act, or you can keep it up and let me expose your little secret to the team. I have more than enough proof of who you really are, so unless you want to end up like Zelda you will cease this act." Genevieve told him.

Aiden kept a cool look on his face, but grabbed Genevieve's arm and dragged her behind a tree where they would have more privacy. "How did you figure it out?" He asked Genevieve dropping his fake accent.

Genevieve's eyes widened and she smirked proudly. "I didn't to be honest. I had a suspicion that you were hiding something and just needed to fake it enough that you would crack." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I can't believe I fell for her bluff. She has everyone on edge after last night, and it's giving her an advantage." Aiden yelled in frustration.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well you've got me cornered, what do you want?" Aiden asked Genevieve.

"How about I ask the questions around here. What on Earth is the ridiculous cowboy disguise for, and what game have you been playing behind everyone's back?" She asked him.

"I'm an actor okay. The cowboy act act was just a way to show off how good I can be at playing a role. As for what game I've been playing, I had Nadine eliminated, but that's it. She was just a test of how good my acting was. If I was doing a good job then convincing them to vote her off wouldn't be an issue, and it wasn't." He told Genevieve.

"Interesting." Genevieve said.

"You said you had a suspicion I was hiding something, where did I go wrong?" Aiden asked her.

"Well first of all it is a bit illogical a cowboy would be afraid of rats and roaches. Secondly, when we were paired together last time you made no attempt at stopping me from colluding with the enemy team. It almost seemed as though you were hoping my scheme would benefit you in some way." Genevieve said.

Aiden groaned and smacked himself for messing up. "Alright, well now that you know what's going on, am I free to resume character?" He asked her.

"Oh yes that is quite alright. I shall keep your secret intact. The only caveat is that you'll be helping me avoid elimination. Our team likes you, so if you can persuade them not to eliminate me, then I'll be inclined to keep your secret." Genevieve said.

Aiden laughed at her demands. "Please, the team might like me, but you aren't going to stay just because I suggest it. If that's your plan to stay, then you didn't think this through enough." He told her.

"We'll see. You are after all only part one of the plan. I'll be going now, but do be aware that if you attempt to turn on me, then I'll ensure your act is remembered as the worst performance ever witnessed on television." Genevieve said. She began walking away, but stopped and turned back to face Aiden again. "I wonder what Koh would think of her closest ally being nothing more than a fake as well." She said.

"You leave Koh out of this. She has nothing to do with our arrangement." Aiden said pointing his finger at Genevieve.

"So it seems your feelings aren't part of the act. That only makes this much easier on my part." Genevieve said. She walked away leaving Aiden frustrated and weak.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That's one down, but I still need more insurance against elimination. Time to pay the Killer Hydra a visit. I'm sure their campsite shouldn't be too difficult to find." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Zelda continued her walk, still looking distraught. Johnathan had caught up with her, and the two were walking together.

"You don't have to keep following me, I won't run away again." Zelda told Johnathan.

"I know, but I just wanted to help out. Besides, if I stayed at the campsite then they'd have me doing a bunch of survival stuff like gathering food, building shelter, or trying to organize our supplies. This chill walk is much more my style." He told her.

"Right now I'm just wishing that I had time to shower before the challenge started. I feel really disgusting from having spent most of the night outside." Zelda said.

"Well there is a survival challenge that gives us points for showering in this nearby waterfall. Why don't you try that out?" Johnathan asked her.

Zelda blushed red at his suggested and continued walking. "Showering outdoors isn't really something I've ever considered, besides I don't have any spare clothes with me." She said.

"Your clothes look clean to me. Come on, I can go with you if that'll make you feel more comfortable.

"No that would make me feel a lot less comfortable." Zelda yelled blushing red.

Johnathan laughed and smiled at her. "I didn't mean go with you to shower, I meant stay close by. You know, just in case any animals show up or something. That way you won't feel in danger and you don't have to worry about your clothes being taken. Trust me, this will make you feel better." He told her.

"I guess it is better than waiting until after this challenge is over to try and shower." Zelda relented.

The pair walked over to the closest waterfall, and Johnathan sat down on a nearby rock. Zelda stepped towards the waterfall and slowly began to undress, leaving her clothing where Johnathan could see it and ensure it would be safe, but not see her. As she showered in the waterfall, she hummed to herself.

"I like your singing." Johnathan yelled over to her.

"I thought I told you not to look." Zelda yelled back at him embarrassed.

"I'm not, but that doesn't mean I can't hear your humming." He said.

Zelda finished up as quickly as she could, feeling refreshed from the natural water source. Without having a towel to dry herself, she made due with some nearby leaves, and changed back into her attire.

"You were right about that making me feel better. I don't know if it's because this is a natural water source, or if I just in need of a way to cool down, but I am feeling a lot better." Zelda told Johnathan.

"Told you." He said. "So what was that song you were humming?" He asked her.

"Just something my mother used to sing when I was younger." Zelda said looking down. "Come on, let's keep walking together." She said.

Back with the Killer Hydra campsite, Maximilian was trying his hardest to figure out how to filer water from the nearby stream for them to drink from. He wasn't having much luck with his attempt.

"This isn't working, I think we should just cross filtering water off of the survival challenge because I have no clue what I'm doing." He said.

"Here, let me see if I can help." Kyoko said heading over to Maximilian.

"Go ahead Kyoko because I have officially given up. I bet Anthony's already made some kind of water filtration invention for the Screaming Phoenix." Maximilian said.

"You know, I'm surprised that you aren't off with Ciara and Dante. The three of you seemed so inseparable." Kyoko told him.

Maximilian laughed, and stretched his arms. "Well what kind of a friend would I be if third wheeled on their first day as a couple. I'll admit I didn't see it coming, but they seem to be sincere about this so I'm happy for them." He said.

"Well if you have hope for them, then I don't see why I shouldn't. Still, it's going to take a while to get used to seeing the two of them as a couple." Kyoko said laughing. Maximilian laughed along with her.

"So you got any ideas for how to handle the water?" He asked her.

"My first guess would be boiling it, but since our resident fire expert isn't feeling too good right now I don't think we should ask her. The only other thing I can think of is using plants to filter the water." Kyoko suggested.

"I tried using plants, but it wasn't working out." Maximilian said.

"Well then let me try it out." Kyoko said.

She grabbed the plant rods from Maximilian along with the bowls of water that he had gathered. By pouring the water through the plants, the plants absorbed most of it, and then left behind a small amount of drinkable water. She repeated the process a few times, and by the end had manged to get a single cup.

"All of that and we only have one cup of water to show for it." Maximilian said a bit dissapointed.

"This should still be enough to get us the points for filtering water. Besides, this cup isn't that bad for someone who's never had to filter water in her life before." Kyoko said.

"You're really creative Kyoko, first you pulled off a great strategy last challenge, and now you managed to filter us a cup of water with barely knowing what you're doing." Maximilian said.

"Well a creative mind is one of my most useful skills as an artist." Kyoko said grinning.

Maximilian smiled back at her before jumping back in fear at Nicole wandering near them. "Nicky, Maddie, can you please keep your baby away from me." He yelled over to them.

Kyoko giggled at his fear and picked Nicole up to take her back to her mothers. "Your fear of cats is really bad. Then again, if it wasn't for that fear, then those girls wouldn't have been able to adopt Nicole here." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I don't mind that Maddie and Nicky adopted a cat. I think it's really sweet of them. I just wish that she didn't have to wander around near me." Maximilian said.

 **(Switch)**

"Max is a pretty nice guy. I can see why even someone as grumpy as Dante could become friends with him. He's just not someone that you can really hate." Kyoko said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Kyoko returned Nicole back over to Nicky while Maddie was still in her depressed state. "Come on Maddie, why don't we go pick some berries. Nicole really wants to walk around, and I don't think Maximilian likes her too much." Nicky said.

"Sure Kitten, we can go get berries." Maddie answered not looking up. Nicky sighed and walked deeper into the woods to find some berries.

Despite initial setbacks, the Screaming Phoenix were managing to complete the survival tasks rather nicely. They had build a stable shelter, and had a nice fire going. Anthony was able to purify their water, and they had good track of their supply inventory. All that was required now was food, so they split up to accomplish that. Aiden, Koh, and Miriam went to gather berries, while Lucy, Anthony, and AJ tried to catch some fish.

"I thought that fishing would be a lot more fun. This is so boring." Lucy complained as she sat down near the stream.

"Technically we aren't fishing since we don't have fishing rods. I could try to make some out with the nearby wood, but there's nothing to make the reeling mechanism. Not to mention we don't have any bait." Anthony said.

"D-do you think we should head back?" AJ asked.

"If show up there without any fish, you know Miriam and Koh are just going to send us back here until we bring back at least one for the challenge." Lucy said.

Anthony looked around, but didn't see anything that could help them out. "The water isn't too deep here. Why don't we try just going in and grabbing the fish as they leap out of the stream?" He suggested.

"That sounds hard." AJ said.

"It also sounds like fun." Lucy said. She jumped into the stream trying to grab as many fish as she could, but failed at getting any.

Anthony went over to join her in the stream. "You have to do it more slowly Lucy. If you're too harsh, then the fish will just slip out of your grasp." He told her.

Anthony waited patiently until a fish was in eyesight, and he grabbed it out from the stream. Lucy copied his technique, and was able to get some herself. AJ watched the two of them from a distance. Once they had enough fish for the team, they headed back and met up with the others who had gathered plenty of berries.

"Told you they'd be able to get the fish." Miriam told Koh.

"Forgive me for doubting them, but you have to admit that it didn't seem too likely." Koh said.

"Well now that we have plenty of grubs, what else are we going to do?" Aiden asked.

Miriam looked over the survival challenge list and sighed. "There's not much more we can do." She said.

"I'm still available for the romance challenges." Aiden said winking at Koh.

"One more and my fist goes up your face." Koh threatened Aiden. He merely smiled back at her in response.

"Chris set up a lot more romance challenges than he did survival challenges. The best thing we can do is hope that Johnathan and Zelda are taking care of some of the romance challenges for us." Miriam said.

The romance challenges may have been an issue for the Screaming Phoenix, but the newly formed couple of Dante and Ciara were taking down challenge after challenge.

"Aright, a romantic walk through the forest has been taken care of, as well as making out on a tree, and feeding each other berries. What should we do next?" Ciara asked Dante.

"How about we take a break and talk? Heartfelt talk is on the list, and we haven't gotten too much of a chance to talk anyway." Dante said.

Ciara and Dante took a seat on a nearby log, and looked at each other holding hands. "So what do you want to talk about?" Ciara asked him.

"Did you ever think we'd get together when we first met?" Dante asked him. Ciara laughed much to Dante's dismay. "I guess that means no." He said.

"Dante you do remember the first time we interacted you told me to shut up, shoved me to the floor, injured my shoulder, and called me a tramp. Why would I ever think that I would end up with a jerk like that who doesn't even laugh at my jokes." She said. Dante put his head down, but Ciara lifted his gaze back over to her. "Once I got to know that jerk though, I realized he's such a sweetheart who just needs helping letting people get close to him." She told him. She leaned forward to kiss him, and Dante returnee the sentiment kissing her back. Their tender moment however was interrupted.

"Well isn't this the most sickeningly sweet display of affection we'eve witnessed on this show." Genevieve said. Dante and Ciara broke apart, but stayed close to each other.

"What do you want?" Dante asked Genevieve.

Genevieve smirked as she inched closer to the pair. She subtly put one of her hands inside of her bag behind her. "I was merely taking a walk when I noticed you two off in the distance. I know it's quite rude to interrupt, but I simply had to get a view of our new couple. She said.

"Well you can leave us alone now. Go bother your own team." Ciara told her.

"Is she the one in charge of this relationship?" Genevieve asked. "I'd have expected you to be the more dominant partner Dante, what with your brutish personality." She said.

Dante stood up and stared down Genevieve. "You are going to shut up and leave us alone, or you aren't going to be able to speak anymore." Dante threatened.

Genevieve grinned as she daringly stepped toward Dante. "There's that aggressive beast everyone is familiar with. A shame he wasn't around to protect dear little Zelda. Ciara here must mean more to you than your sister ever did, but that was obvious when you decided to swap spit with her rather than even try to talk Zelda." She taunted. "Now that I think about it, Ciara isn't too much different from Zelda. They both have an unbearable obsession with the color pink, and have an irritating personality. I always thought your affection towards your sister was borderline incestuous, and this seem to confirm this." She added.

"One more word and you're dead." Dante growled at her.

"Try it. I dare you." Genevieve responded. Using the hand she had previously put into her bag, she pulled out a bottle of pepper spray and held it ready to move against Dante if he were to try anything. Dante glared at Genevieve, but her expression remained unchanged. The two stared each other down, neither willing to make the first move. With her gaze focused on Dante, Genevieve didn't notice Ciara approaching. Ciara slapped Genevieve across the face causing the heiress to stumble back and fall dropping her pepper spray.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm not a violent person, but she had that coming." Ciara said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Genevieve pulled a mirror out of her bag and looked at her face. Ciara's slap had left a noticeably large red mark across her otherwise flawless skin. "You You You." Genevieve said before yelling out in frustration and throwing the mirror. "You won't get away with this you flirtatious freak!" She yelled. She stormed off continuing her search for the Killer Hydra campsite, now more determined than ever.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what got over me." Ciara told Dante, her face burning red in embarrassment.

"Don't apologize. Genevieve deserved it." Dante told her. He leaned in closely and whispered to Ciara. "It was also kind of hot." Dante's words sent chills up Ciara's body causing her to get even redder than she already was.

"So what do you want to do now?" She asked him.

"There's this stream nearby, and just past that is a lake. Do you want to go for a swim? He asked her.

"I could definitely use a swim to cool off. I think one of the romance challenges is to go skinny dipping." Ciara told Dante. It was now Dante's turn to become flustered, and the pair headed off together for their swim.

Elsewhere in the woods, Maddie, Nicky and Nicole were gathering berries for the team. Nicky was feeding Nicole a few of the berries, and the cat seemed to be enjoying them.

"Nicole really likes these berries Maddie. We should probably take some back with us to camp." Nicky said. Maddie nodded slightly, but paid little attention to Nicky. Nicky put Nicole down, and went over to give Maddie a hug. "Maddie you need to snap out of this. If Dante can be happy with Ciara without worrying about Zelda, then you can move on too." She said.

"Dante didn't help cause this mess." Maddie said. Nicole rubbed herself against Maddie's leg, causing the former pyromaniac to pick her up. "Nicole, you don't want a mommy like me. I'm only going to disappoint you." She told her cat.

"Maddie you've never dissapointed me. It's because of you that I've grown so much since starting this game. At home everyone teased me for being so small, and they all treated me like a child. My younger sisters treated me like a baby or a pet. You helped me realize that I shouldn't care about that, or about my size." Nicky told her.

"That fierceness was in you from the beginning Kitten. You didn't need my help to find it." Maddie told her.

"But I did Maddie. I wouldn't have the confidence I do if not for you. You don't give yourself enough credit for all you do. You're smart, confident, creative, determined, passionate, cute..." Nicky said.

"You think I'm cute Kitten?" Maddie interrupted.

"I do, and I wouldn't have anyone else raise Nicole with me." Nicky said smiling.

For the first time since the night prior, Maddie smiled as well. Their moment of friendship was broken however as a bear was attracted to them by the smell of their berries.

"If you don't show fear, the bear won't come near us." Maddie told Nicky.

"Too late for that." Nicky said shaking.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I still wasn't over what happened last night, but at the same time I couldn't do nothing while a bear threatened my baby and the person I care most about on this island." Maddie said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Maddie noticed a nearby tree branch and ran over to get it. She pulled her lighter out of her pocket, and set the stick on fire as an attempt to scare away the bear. While the bear didn't seem intimidated at first, Maddie went over to it, and repeatedly waved the flaming branch until the bear left them alone. Once the bear was gone, Nicky ran over to hug Maddie tightly.

"I thought we were done for with that bear. I was getting ready to leave everything in my will to my sister Emily." She said.

Maddie smiled, but noticed the flaming branch, and threw it away. "I wouldn't bear it if anything happened to you or Nicole." She told Nicky.

"So you feeling better?" Nicky asked.

"Not entirely, but I think I'll get there. If you'll help me." Maddie said.

Nicky nodded happily. "I'll always be here for you. Come on, lets get going." She said.

The pair walked back to camp having their spirits feeling much higher. "So if I'm cute, then that means you must like my blue hair. I think Nicole would look a lot cuter if you let her have it too." Maddie said.

Nicky sighed, but also laughed. "Great to have you back Maddie." She said.

"Glad to be back." Maddie said. "You missed mommy didn't you?" She asked Nicole. Nicole meowed causing the two girls to gush over how cute their baby cat was.

After hours of searching, Genevieve managed to find the Killer Hydra campsite. Much to her chagrin, it turned out to just be about five minutes away from her own campsite, she had just been looking in the wrong direction. Being careful not to get spotted she found Tom, and threw a rock to get his attention. Once he noticed her, she gestured for him to join her in privacy.

"Hello Tom." Genevieve said once he joined up with her.

"A bit weird to be meeting with someone from the other team. Don't you think you should focus on getting off your team's bad side before coming after us? And what happened to your face?" Tom asked her.

Genevieve ignored his comment. "I think you know what I'm here for Tom. Zelda's love note came from you didn't it?" She asked him

"Like I said in the morning my handwriting doesn't match. Dante should still have the note if you want to compare it with some of my personal writing." He said.

Genevieve rolled her eyes at him. "Someone of your caliber should have no problem at all with changing their handwriting. The others may have fallen for that weak excuse, but I will be much harder to convince." She said.

"Okay, well what reason would I have for wanting to send that letter?" Tom asked her.

"It's quite simple, you wanted Dante to get suspicious towards your team, and let his own self destructive nature lead to his elimination. He wasn't eliminated however, so you needed to save yourself from his anger by altering the handwriting in that note from your typical style." Genevieve explained.

"Do you have any evidence of these improbable claims?" Tom asked Genevieve.

"You are keeping a much calmer expression compared to the last one. For the record, I do have evidence. Does the talent show ring a bell, and a note sent to me that instructed me to pick AJ for the challenge?" Genevieve asked.

Tom's eyes widened, but he kept his calm expression. "I don't know what you're talking about." Tom said.

"Very well, you can play the fool. I do wonder how AJ would react to knowing that someone she considered to be a friend turned on her so harshly. I still have the note, and she's smart enough to see that you sent it the way I did." Genevieve said.

Tom tried to keep a cool face, but sighed and hung his head in shame. "Fine I sent the talent show letter, and the love letter, but I didn't do it to hurt AJ. I wanted to help her get over her stage fright." He said.

"Too bad she won't see it that way. Now is the part where you ask what I want in exchange for keeping your secret." Genevieve said.

"What do you want in exchange for keeping my secret?" Tom asked.

Genevieve smirked confidently. "Nothing too outlandish. I simply require for you to continue your little note sending game. Break apart any semblance of trust left on this island. After all, if they can't trust each other, then there's no way they can team up to eliminate me." Genevieve said. Tom nodded reluctantly and Genevieve walked off content.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That was far too easy. Both Aiden and Tom had such an exploitable weakness. That's why I'm ultimately going to be the victor of this silly little game. I have no weaknesses." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Johnathan and Zelda continued their walk together. As they did, they spent the time getting to know each other a bit more.

"I'm getting a bit tired. You want to go for a swim?" Johnathan asked Zelda. "There's this really nice lake nearby. I noticed it when you went to go shower in the waterfall." He told her.

"A nice suggestion, but I can't swim remember." Zelda said.

"It doesn't seem that deep, besides I'll be there in case anything goes wrong." Johnathan told her.

Zelda looked unsure, but nodded. "Okay I guess we can go, but you can go in the water yourself. I'll just be watching." She said.

"Why don't you just learn how to swim?" Johnathan asked her. "I can teach you." He offered.

Zelda shook her head frantically. "No!" She yelled. "Sorry, I just don't have good memories of swimming. I almost drowned when I was younger." She told him.

"Want to talk about it while we walk to the lake?" Johnathan asked her .

Zelda looked unsure, but reluctantly nodded. "I guess talking would be helpful, besides it might help you understand why Dante is the way he is." She told him.

At the same time that Zelda and Johnathan were having this conversation, Dante and Ciara were having a similar conversation.

"Dante I have to know, how did you get to be the way you are?" Ciara asked him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean how did you become so closed off. I can see you have a caring heart, but you push everyone away the first chance you get. That's without mentioning how overboard you are with Zelda. I love how much you care about her, but I don't think you've ever stopped to think how she feels." Ciara said.

Dante looked at Ciara, and smiled. "I guess you deserve to know.. If this is going to work, then you need to know the whole story." Dante told her.

Zelda and Dante together told Johnathan and Ciara the same story unknowing the other was doing the same.

"As you might know, my parents have a lot of fame surrounding them. My mother was a top model, and my father is a noble prize winning genius that's constantly changing the world as we know it. They expected great things from Dante and I." Zelda said.

"Mom was rarely ever around since she was always modeling in various countries, or judging beauty pageants. She was a head in the fashion world and I guess that mattered more than Zelda or me. As for Zhane, all he cared about was his reputation and his legacy." Dante said.

"Dante isn't stupid, but he's not as smart as father or I. That caused a lot of conflict between the two of them growing up." Zelda said.

"No matter what I did I was useless to him. He cared for Zelda far more than he cared about me. Life for her was torture trying to live up to his standards." Dante said.

"It was difficult trying to please father. He would scold my smallest mistake, expecting nothing short of perfection from his prodigy. I learned all he needed whether it be fine arts, self defense, or basic academia. I was raised to be his perfect heir. Someone to uphold his legacy." Zelda said.

"One day when we were young I sunk Zelda out of the house so we could go to the pool. She didn't know how to swim, but I just wanted her to have some fun."Dante said.

"In retrospect it was a reckless decision, and I should've protested more. We had a good time, but then I slipped, and fell right into the deepest end of the pool." Zelda said.

"Once I noticed she was missing, I looked for her frantically. If anything happened to her it would be all my fault for not listening." Dante said.

"Legally speaking I was dead for a few minutes, but Dante was able to get help in time." Zelda said.

"Once I found the lifeguard and they pulled Zelda out, they called the paramedics and Zhane. I thought he'd be furious with me for sneaking out Zelda, but instead he was grateful. If it wasn't for my quick act then his prodigy would've died." Dante said.

"I don't know what happened, but when I woke up in the hospital I saw Dante and father were actually getting along. It seemed the only thing they had in common was how much they cared about me." Zelda said.

"I'll never forget what Zhane said to me. He told me that I had proved I wasn't useless that day. The only thing I was good for was making sure that his perfect heir stayed safe. When we went to visit Zelda in the hospital we stopped by the store and I got Zelda a stuffed dog to help her feel better." Dante said.

"Drowning was the worst day of my life, and I don't think I'll ever learn to swim after that, but at the same time seeing my brother and my father bonding for the first time made up for it. I treasured the dog Dante gave me forever as a reminder of the rare moment of happiness in our family." Zelda said.

"Since then I dedicated myself to keeping Zelda safe over anything else. I slowly closed myself off to everyone else since I knew nobody would ever care about me the way she did. We were there for each other no matter what." Dante said.

"As we grew older, Dante got much more worried about me. Once I started showing an interest in boys he pushed all of my friends away. I think he was just scared to lose me so he wouldn't be alone." Zelda said.

"I don't know what's happened to us." Dante and Zelda said at the same time. As they finished telling their story, the two pairs met up both having been headed for the same lake.

"What are you doing here?" Dante asked Johnathan.

"I could ask you the same thing." Johnathan said.

"Going for a swim?" Ciara asked.

"Zelda can't swim." Dante yelled.

Jonathan and Ciara looked at each other and gave a small nod before walking away.

"Where are you going?" Zelda asked them.

"The two of you really need to talk, and it's best we give you privacy." Johnathan said.

"We'll be ready when you're done." Ciara said. She gave Dante a kiss on the cheek before walking off with Johnathan.

Dante and Zelda stood awkwardly in silence

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Why is it so difficult to find something to say. She's my sister," Dante yelled punching the wall.

 **(Switch)**

"How did things get so messed up between us?" Zelda asked punching the same wall that Dante did.

 **(Confessional End)**

"You and Ciara make a surprising couple." Zelda said trying to break the silence that surrounded them.

"Thanks... are you and Johnathan...?" Dante asked.

"No, he's just trying to cheer me up. He's been doing a pretty good job at it so far." She said.

"Cheering you up should have been my job. I'm sorry that I've been with Ciara instead of you." Dante told her.

Zelda smiled briefly and reached out to grab Dante's hand. "Don't be sorry. It hurt that you weren't there for me when I needed you Dante, but I'm so happy for you. You deserve to find someone who understands you after being alone for so long." Zelda told him.

"I had you didn't I?" Dante asked.

Zelda chuckled sightly. She took off her glasses to wipe away some tears that were forming. "You know that's not what I meant. I'm sorry that I ruined your last relationship, but Ciara seems great. Don't let her go the way you did last time." She said.

"Ciara said she wouldn't mind being second place to you." Dante told her.

Zelda smacked Dante's shoulder playfully. "Dante you can't be serious. I appreciate all you've done for me. Despite what everyone else thinks I don't hate you or the way you treat me. It can be unbearable, but it's how you show you care. But you can't live your life worrying about me forever. It's time you start living your own life, with Ciara, or with whoever comes next if you two don't work out. Be your own person." She told him.

"I can try." Dante told her. The two hugged before separating to stand next to each other. "You two can quite eavesdropping on us now." He yelled over to a nearby rock. Johnathan and Ciara came out from behind the rock.

"I'm sorry, but that was so sweet." Ciara said in tears. Dante went over to embrace her and the two kissed dearly.

Zelda looked away in disgust and grabbed Johnathan's arm. "Let's go." She told him.

"What happened to swimming?" He asked.

"I still can't swim, and I'd rather not have to watch that." She said pointing to Dante and Ciara who were making out.

"We were going to complete the skinny dipping challenge if you wanted to join." Ciara said playfully.

Zelda covered her ears and walked away with her eyes closed. "I am going to pretend I did not hear that." She said walking off. Johnathan laughed and followed her. Dante looked at him but let him go focusing on Ciara instead.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm not sure if Johnathan was being a nice guy, or if he has any other intentions with Zelda. I do owe him for cheering her up when I couldn't so I'll let him go for now. Besides, I did promise her I'd back off a bit." Dante said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Zelda and Johnathan walked back to their campsite as the sun was setting. Everyone was gathered around the campfire except for Genevieve who had gone to her sleeping bag early.

"You look to be feeling much better." Anthony told Zelda.

"I am, and I'm ready to get back at Genevieve for what she did to me." Zelda said determined.

"Nice to have you back in the game braniac." Miriam told Zelda. The Screaming Phoenix gathered around for a group hug, their spirits lifted and ready to fight.

Night passed, and the next morning the teams raced back camp hoping to make it first for the bonus points. Though it was a very close race, one of the teams managed to arrive just a few seconds faster.

"For getting here first, you get bonus points, and those bonus points are just what you needed to win since it was a very close game with main points." Chris revealed. The winner of the challenge was.

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The Screaming Phoenix. They cheered their victory while the Killer Hydra looked around dissapointed.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Another loss for what should have been an easy win. It's clear that I can't trust this team to be self efficient. I'm taking the lead from now on. I'll have to have a partner to go through with this plan, and I'm sure Kyoko will be more than willing to support her fellow artist." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Go ahead and get ready for elimination, but I need all the contestants to come tonight. Don't worry, there won't be another dramatic standoff like last time I just need to make an announcement before you vote." Chris said.

The Killer Hydra gathered around to discuss elimination. "So what do we do? It was really close, so I don't think there's anybody to blame for us losing." Maximilian said.

"It is annoying that there's nobody we can easily eliminate. At this point the best bet would be to cut off our weakest link." Clifford said.

"Who's that?" Nicky asked.

"I think we all know." Clifford said looking directly at Dante.

"There something you want to say?" Dante asked Clifford.

"Don't listen to him Dante." Ciara said. Dante smiled back at her and the two went off to spend some quality time alone.

"I don't know if he's worse now that he's with her, or if he was worse when he was obsessing over his sister." Clifford said.

"Come on Clifford let the guy be happy. Besides isn't this better so he won't throw anymore challenges trying to help Zelda out?" Kyoko asked.

"I suppose that is a benefit of this new relationship. Vote at your own discretion, and we'll just see what happens." Clifford said.

At the elimination ceremony, everyone gathered around wondering what Chris's announcement was. He arrived, and had a rare serious expression on his look.

"I'm glad you're all here. Now you know I love drama more than anyone else. Seeing you all at each other's throat is not only fun for me, but it's also great for ratings. Our producers think otherwise though. Usually I just pretend to listen to them, but this time one of the shows anonymous benefactors has stepped in, and donated an enormous sum of money directly to me so that we can revise some safety issues going on." Chris said.

"Does this mean the challenges will be less dangerous?" AJ asked.

Chris laughed sadistically at her question. "Oh no, the best part is I don't have to change anything about the challenges. The show's anonymous and very rich benefactor has determined there is a safety risk among you, and as a result Dante is disqualified from the game." Chris announced.

"What!" Several contestants yelled out. There was noise among all of them, with various reactions ranging from surprise to anger. As Chris couldn't get their attention, he pulled out his air horn and blew it directly into his megaphone.

"Now that you're all listening again Dante has been disqualified due to his constant threats, and acts of physical harm toward all of you. I mean just look at Genevieve's face, that mark isn't going away no matter how make-up she applies." Chris said.

"But Dante didn't..." Ciara started to say before Dante grabbed her hand.

"I didn't even try with that one. It was a light tap compared to how i wish she ended up." He said.

"Dante what are you doing?" Ciara asked him.

"I'm already disqualified. If they find out you did that to her, then you might go too. She has too much pride to admit it was you, so just let me do this for you." Dante said.

Dante gave Ciara a farewell kiss, as well as a hug goodbye to Zelda. He gave Maximilian a handshake, and thanked him for being around before going to the Pendulum of Shame for elimination. Ciara went over to Genevieve angrily.

"You had something to do with this. Who else is rich enough to influence the game." She yelled at her.

Genevieve rolled her eyes and started to walk away. "I don't need to resort to using my vast richness to win this game. My own abilities are enough to carry me. It seems that your boy toy was finally perceived as the threat he is, and swiftly dealt with." She said.

"If Dante is gone we don't have to eliminate someone correct?" Clifford asked.

Chris laughed at his question. "Of course you do. Go ahead and pick your favorite loser." He said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"We lost two players today due to someone finally caring about standards. It seems odd that they would eliminate Dante for his physical danger, yet leave Geneveve intact even after the emotional trauma she put Zelda through. Things are not adding up, and I suspect there is more to this mysterious benefactor than it appears." Clifford said

 **(Confessional End)**

"Wow these are some odd votes." Chris said. "Then again there aren't too many of you left and your most likely candidate for elimination just got swung off the island. By the slimmest of margins we have our next eliminated contestant...

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Maximillian." Chris revealed.

"What why was I eliminated?" He asked confused.

Nicky and Maddie looked nervously before raising their hands. "We're sorry Maximilian, but we really just wanted Nicole to be able to wander around freely without having to worry about you." Nicky said.

"Don't take it the wrong way, but you know a mother will do anything for their baby." Maddie said.

"I get it, and I hope things work out for you two and that terrifying baby of yours." Maximilian said.

Ciara went over to Maximilian sobbing. "I lose Dante and you in the same day. What did I do to deserve this? She asked through her tears.

Maximilian gave her a hug and let her cry on his shoulder. "You'll do fine without us, just keep yourself focused on winning, and never give up." He told her.

She nodded and gave him a platonic kiss on the cheek farewell.

"Well things seem to be getting back to normal. Hope that doesn't make everything boring around her. How will the Killer Hydra bounce back now that they are so many members behind the Screaming Phoenix? Will Genevieve's plan to avoid elimination work out, or will one of her allies betray her when she doesn't see it coming? How long will Ciara go without crying over losing her boyfriend and best friend in the same day? You'll just have to tune in next time to Total Drama Rebirth of the Island to find out." Chris said.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro: The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

18\. Brett Drake: The Powerhouse Man

17\. Dante Valverde: The Overprotective and Overbearing Older Brother

16\. Maximilian Brooks: The Lucky Guy

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Clifford, Maddie, Tom, Ciara, Kyoko, and Nicky

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Johnathan, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, AJ, and Zelda

 **Apologies to NostalgiaMaster1996 and King Pessimist for Dante and Maximilian's eliminations. I should probably apologize extra to King Pessimist. We've chatted quite a bit through PM, and you are one of the few Dante fans around. That means you lost two of your favorite characters. Really hope you don't hate me, but when it's their time it's their time. Dante was fun for me to write even if I did overdo it in the beginning. I slowly responded to criticism of how much screen time he was getting, and tried to fix that while still keeping him in people's mind. He was a bit of a creep with his attitude towards Zelda, but hopefully now that we got his backstory, his rough nature makes more sense. Dantiara got together only for Dante to get eliminated. Such a tragic fate. To all of the Dante haters, please let me know what you think now that he's gone. Do you still hate him, or did he win you over in the end? As for Maximilian, he was more of a support character, but I still liked him. I knew from almost the start of the season I wanted Dante and Max to get eliminated together. He was Dante's best friend, and was meant to be the voice of reason for him. Dante rarely ever listened to that voice of reason, but he was always trying to help. He also served as Ciara's guiding light. Whether it be helping her with Kai, or helping her with Dante, he just wanted the flirt to find her soulmate. He was a great friend to both of them, and I think that makes him memorable enough even if he didn't do much for himself. His friendship with Kyoko was a last minute addition that will not only help Kyoko later on, but also just fulfilled a request to have the two interact in some way. I think Maximilian and Kyoko would have become great friends if I had them interact sooner, but then we might not have gotten Dantiara.**

* * *

 **A/N: Can I just say that March has officially been the best month for me? Not only did I update this story three times, but I found out so many people I thought quit reading are still reading, I've crossed 100 total reviews, and I've been swarmed with so much love and support for this story. I have a feeling updates are going to be a lot more frequent with the huge amount of support I've been getting, and the fact that we're reaching plot points I'm so eager to write. Getting through the beginning was the hardest part, now we're at the good part. I don't think I'll be able to keep doing weekly since I do have another story to write that I neglected slightly to get this out, but twice a month seems like a good estimate. That was actually my original goal, but now it seems more doable than when I started out.**

 **What's there to say about this chapter? It was definitely meant to be a calm breather after the insanity of last time. I know a lot of people were hoping that things would keep that level of tension for the rest of the season, but I feel it's better if there's an uneasy sense of calmness. Everyone is still very much on edge, but are trying to create a sense of normality among themselves. I meant it when I said that nothing will ever be the same again though no matter how much they try to go back to status quo. The challenge was suggested by ninjedi so I hope you liked how I handled it. When you suggested it, I knew it would work perfectly as a way to cool down from the intensity of Genevieve's standoff.**

 **I tried my best to give everyone some time, but this was clearly focused on Dante, Ciara, Zelda, Johnathan, and Genevieve the most with Maddie and Nicky taking second place for largest focus. Hey, before anyone starts complaining about Dante again the guy is gone so he can't steal anymore screen time. Zelda's spirit isn't completely back in the game, but with the help of Johnathan, a warm heart to heart with Dante, and her team's encouragement she's willing to fight. I think the most interesting thing to happen was Genevieve's gambit to escape elimination. Working with Tom and Aiden by blackmailing them is going to be fun. The tricky part about working with villains though is you always have to watch your back. As much as I love Genevieve, I don't want her to seem overpowered or give her too much plot armor, so you never know if Tom or Aiden are going to stab her in the back when she least expects it. Things are going to be hectic on both teams.**

 **So now that Dante is gone, the Dantiara plot, the sibling plot, and the love letter plot are all wrapped up. This means it's time for some new arcs to start and some current ones to wrap up. We still have Koh trying to get to the intern's computer so she can learn more about Calista, and Lucy probably has some secrets if Genevieve's warning is to be taken seriously. Maddie and Nicky's adventures in parenting has a bit to go. Finally, Clifford and Kyoko's time in the spotlight is coming up. Now that his team is the losing team Clifford is going to have to take charge, and his fellow artist is willing to help him out. Clifford as a villain hasn't done too much but that will change coming up.**

 **Finally there's the merge to address. I've had a lot of questions thrown my way about the merge. Let me say it's closer than you might expect. The merge will come when there are half of the renaming contestants left. Since we started with 24 that means we're merging at 12. What I won't say is how many more chapters we have to go. Perhaps we'll have four more single eliminations, perhaps we'll have another double elimination, or perhaps we'll have some non-eliminations. Just got to read and see what happens.**


	14. SPORTSBALL!

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Aiden and Koh are a fun pair. Glad to see that you ship them since that means their interactions are working out well. Only time will tell how things end up for these two, especially with Genevieve pulling on Aiden behind the scenes.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ Haha every villain needs to fall at some point. What matters most is what the villain manages to do before their time is up. Genevieve will be having quite some fun in her time on the island.

 _ **Eternos137-**_ Shock is what I was going for, and shock is what I delivered. Things will be quite different moving on, and I hope that you like what's going to come next for everyone.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Always sad to hear about someone passing, but I'm glad that I was able to cheer you up even slightly. Ciara's going to have a tough time losing her best friend and her new boyfriend in the same elimination. Glad that you're enjoying the evilness that is Genevieve as well as the pair or artists making their move in the game. Thanks for the kind words.

 _ **CandelaMonsoon-**_ Glad to see you're hyped for the merge, and I hope that we can make it there sooner rather than later. I'm making nice progress on the story so let's see how things go. There's plenty more to come from Koh especially as we delve deeper into her secrets and the mystery of Calista. Thanks for the support.

 _ **Critica7-**_ Maximilian and Dante were a pair, and thus I felt it was only fitting that I eliminate them as a pair. The two could have gone further, but things just didn't work out for them. I understand your point about hidden villains being better than blatant villains. When you know someone is a villain, and everyone hates them it sometimes doesn't make sense why they stay so long. Hopefully I can make Genevieve's time on the island believable especially if she manages to wiggle her way out of elimination.

 _ **Nikolai777-**_ March was a great month indeed. I may not have a month as golden as that one anytime soon, but I will be working on better and faster updates overall. Glad that you liked the chapter, as well as how my track record has been growing over the past few. Quite a lot to talk about, and I'll do my best to cover what I can. Everyone had some pretty good moments, and they'll have much more to come soon. In the first few chapters there were quite a few people overshadowed, but that shouldn't be the case anymore. Nicky and Maddie have had some great development in the past few chapters, and their tale has been fun to tell. Miriam is very much looking to be the leader for her team, so let's see how that works out for her. Genevieve's plan to manipulate the other villains seems to be working, but we'll see how they react over time. Who will be the villain that comes out on top. Glad you're liking Kyoko and Clifford. I plan more from them coming up. Dantiara seems to be a win which is great given the negative initial perception. As for Dante and Zelda's extensive backstory, they aren't the only OC's who I'll be delving deep into the backstory. They're just the first of many to get that treatment. These are great OCs overall so I hope to show off as much as I can from them and how they became who they are. Glad you're looking forward to the merge, and I hope you enjoy everything to come.

 _ **Aleister Bloodrive VII-**_ Thanks for checking in. It helps to know who's reading. I'm glad to see that you're still around, and that you're enjoying what I'm doing with the characters so far. Maddie is a lot of fun since she's got insane comedic relief, but also is filled with down to earth and deep moments. A lovable character that I'm glad I get to work with. Don't worry too much if you can't leave reviews all the time, I'm just glad to know you're still here.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. The teams were given a chance to cool down, and refresh themselves with a camping trip. Several challenges laid waiting for them, some tested their ability to survive the wilderness, while others tested their ability to survive each other. Dante and Ciara surprised everyone by being the latest couple to hook up. Zelda spent the day mopping around, until Johnathan managed to cheer her up. Maddie likewise mopped around until a bear attack threatened her cat daughter and co-mom. Meanwhile, Genevieve made plans of her own to avoid elimination by blackmailing both Aiden and Tom. Wow is she good at playing the game or what? Clifford decided to personally end his teams losing streak. Too bad for them they lost anyway. In a shocking twist that nobody saw coming, Dante was disqualified after an anonymous and wealthy benefactor donated to the world's best host in an effort to redesign our safety regulations on the island. Maximilian followed his best friend onto the Pendulum after parents Maddie and Kitty put the care of their cat over their teammates fear. How will the Killer Hydra respond now that they are behind by so many members? Will Ciara make it through the day after losing her new boyfriend and best friend in a single elimination? Has Zelda truly recovered? Find out all this and more right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Johnathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

With the Killer Hydra now being behind on team members, Clifford called for an early morning emergency team meeting. Most of the Killer Hydra were either tired, since it was so early, or just uninterested in Clifford's rant on their new losing streak. Clifford stood in front of them with Kyoko at his side. Tom was writing in his journal, Maddie and Nicky were playing with Nicole, and Ciara was tuning her guitar.

"If we are to end this track record of defeat, and rise above the Phoenix team I can no longer allow you all to do as you please. With Kyoko and me leading the team, we shall no doubt be able to win." Clifford told them.

Tom looked up from his journal at Clifford. "What exactly would we be doing that's any different from what we already do?" He asked Clifford.

"You simply need to trust in my leadership, and things won't continue down the poor track that we have been headed." Clifford answered.

Tom shook his head in disagreement. "You didn't answer my question. You can say that you'll lead us to win, but just how exactly are you going to do that? How is you leading the team assuring our victory?" He asked.

"Well for starters I'll make sure that some people aren't wasting their time with lingering sentiment for any former team members." Clifford said pointing accusingly at Tom. He turned to look at Ciara. "I'll also make sure that nobody loses focus due to a pointless grudge against the other team." He said. He turned his attention finally to Maddie and Nicky who were playing with Nicole. "I'll especially make sure that certain people aren't wasting valuable time with an animal during our team meeting." He yelled in frustration.

"She is not an animal, she's our baby." Maddie yelled back sticking her tongue out at Clifford.

"It's a cat. It's literally an animal." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Did we somehow vote out our most competent team members along the way? I feel as though I'm surrounded by idiots. Winning this game will be far more difficult if I'm out of useful allies by the time the teams split." Clifford said.

 **(Switch)**

"Clifford might be smart and creative, but his social skills could use a lot of work. Luckily, that's what I'm here for. At the end of the day, we both just want what's best for the team." Kyoko said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Kyoko stepped in between Clifford and Maddie breaking up their argument. "Let's not get too tense here, we're all on the same team after all. Like it or not we're on a losing streak. Clifford has some great ideas, so if we work together we can turn things around." She said. Ciara stood up, grabbed her guitar, and started to walk away from her team members.

Clifford moved in front of Ciara blocking her from leaving. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked her.

Ciara merely stepped around Clifford and kept on walking. "Anywhere that I can practice my music in peace." She replied back to him without turning to look as she continued to walk away. Nicky glanced at Maddie who nodded back to her as she took Nicole.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Things are tough on Ciara since she lost both Dante and Max last time. I feel especially bad since it was Maddie and me who caused Max to be eliminated. Still, I'd like to think that Ciara and I are friends despite that, so if I can help her feel better that's what I'll do." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Ciara continued to walk off until she arrived at the tree where she and Dante had gotten together. Even though every tree looked the same, she could feel it that this was the right spot. She played a sad tune on her guitar as Nicky arrived with her violin.

"That's a nice tune you have going on." Nicky awkwardly told her.

"What do you want?" Ciara asked, her eyes not leaving her guitar.

"Well... I was wondering if you wanted to play together for a bit before the challenge." Nicky awkwardly offered.

"Sure we can do that." Ciara softly answered. Nicky took a seat next to Ciara and the two played their instruments together. Unlike other times where the pair synchronized well, this session seemed to be all over the place. It didn't take long for the two girls to realize this wasn't working, and simply stop playing.

"That was a bit rough." Nicky said.

"That's an understatement." Ciara chuckled. "It's my fault. Music usually cheers me up, but it seems even that's not working today." She said.

Nicky put her hand over Ciara's in comfort. "Ciara I want to apologize for eliminating Maximilian. If Maddie and I had known that Dante would have been disqualified then we would've waited, but we had already decided, and we didn't know what else to do, and we..."Nicky frantically said before Ciara put her hand up indicating she wanted Nicky to stop talking.

"You have nothing to apologize for. Of course I'm mad Max is out, but it was a team vote so you can't blame yourself. Besides, you had your baby to think about. I can't hate my friend for being a good mother." Ciara said.

"You mean that?" Nicky asked incredulously.

"Of course I do. I'm not the type of person to hold a grudge. That being said, I can make an exception for Genevieve. She can deny it all she wants, but I know she paid off Chris or the producers to have Dante disqualified." Ciara said clutching her fist.

"Then let's prove it." Nicky told Ciara.

Ciara looked at Nicky confused. "What do you mean prove it?" She asked. "Genevieve is good as much as I hate to admit it. She's not the type of person to leave behind evidence."She said.

"True, but don't forget the cameras surrounding us and recording our every action. If we go to the intern's campsite there might be someway to access the recording footage. One of us will distract the interns while the other examines the footage for proof of Genevieve's meddling." Nicky said.

Ciara's expression lightened up immensely, and she grinned harder than she had in quite a while. "You're a genius Nicky." She said jumping up to hug Nicky. "And thanks for having my back through this." She added.

"Anything for a fellow musician, and especially for my friend." Nicky said.

"Well we'd better hurry. There's no telling when the challenge is going to start, and your girlfriend is probably getting jealous of all this time you're spending with me." Ciara said.

"Girlfriend... what... what girlfriend?" Nicky asked blushing red in embarrassment.

"Wait, you and Maddie aren't dating? I thought that's what the whole point of the cat was. I'm sorry for assuming. Let's just get going." Ciara said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Maddie and I aren't dating... are we?" Nicky asked herself.

 **(Switch)**

"They're totally dating, they just don't know it yet." Ciara laughed.

 **(Confessional End)**

Ciara and Nicky were not the only contestants going to the intern's campsite before the challenge. Koh and Aiden themselves were headed to finally get answers about the Calista file that Koh had found of the interns computer.

"Ya seem awfully determined to find out who this Calista lady is." Aiden told Koh.

"I've told you before that this is personal to me. I think if I find Calista then she could provide me with answers to some important questions." Koh said.

Aiden smiled at Koh as they kept walking. "Has anyone ever told ya that mysterious side of your's is mighty attractive?" He asked her.

"Watch how far you flirt cowboy." Koh warned him. "I brought you along because I don't know if I'm going to need help, and you're the only other person who knows that Calista file exists." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I meant what I said." Aiden said accentless. "Koh has a deep and mysterious side that fascinates me to no end. I have to make sure Genevieve doesn't ruin things between us before I can get closer. Maybe it's time I drop the act around her." He said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Koh, can I tell you something?" Aiden asked her.

Koh put her hand over his mouth covering it. "Shh, we're not alone." Koh whispered to him.

They looked at the intern camp to see that there were quite a few contestants there. They hadn't yet noticed each other due to how spread out they all were. Nicky was playing the violin for a few interns while Ciara looked over the recorded footage in one of the tents. On the other side of the camp, Genevieve could be seen scowling as she handed over a large amount of money to an intern. Finally, Lucy could be seen leaving the campsite looking very guilty.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It seems Aiden and I aren't the only ones with some business here. I'll have to make a note of everyone else present as they could mess with my plans if they learn too much." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Aiden and Koh waited in a bush until all of the other contestants had left the campsite. The interns likewise scattered, each getting ready to perform the necessary tasks for starting the day's challenge. Aiden had fallen asleep from waiting, and Koh shoved him to wake him up. "Hurry, we don't have too much time before the challenge starts today." Koh told him. They rushed over to the computer with Aiden keeping watch.

"I'm guessing that we ain't having breakfast today." Aiden joked.

"Not the time for jokes Aiden." Koh said.

"Well I hope that whatever you learn about Calista helps you. I don't know why it matters so much, but just know I'll always help you when you ask." Aiden said.

"How sickeningly sweet. Either way, we'll have to come back tonight. Someone's put an encrypted password on this. I can hack it, but it'll take more time than I have right now. I'll start up the decryption program and leave it running while we do the day's challenge." Koh said.

Aiden looked surprised. "You can hack Koh?" He asked her.

"I can do a lot of things, now let's go before we're late for the challenge. All the interns gone means its starting any minute now." She said.

The remaining fifteen contestants lined up in front of the mess hall for Chris to announce the challenge.

"It seems a lot of you missed breakfast today. I don't think Chef will be too happy about that one." Chris said observing the few late arrivals.

"Just hurry up with the challenge. The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can get back to our own matters." Koh told Chris.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"What exactly was that about?" Miriam asked. "I don't like Chris either, but Koh seemed as though the challenge was burdening her today. What could she be doing that the challenge is an inconvenience? More importantly, why did she, Aiden, Genevieve, and Lucy miss breakfast today?" She asked herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well since someone in in such a hurry today, it's a good thing we have a simple challenge. Who's up for a game of Sportsball?" He asked.

Everyone looked at him confused, and Zelda spoke up. "What exactly is a game of Sportsball." She asked.

"Of course a nerd like you wouldn't know what Sportsball is." Chris replied.

"Excuse me!?" Zelda yelled.

Chris ignored her outburst and continued his explanation. "Sportsball is the pinnacle of ball based sports. Each round is essentially a different game comprised of three ball based games mashed together. We'll be playing a best three out of five for Sportsball." Chris explained.

"How many players will be required for each round of Sportsball?" Clifford asked. "Our team is a bit undermanned comparatively." He said.

"Don't worry, we took that into consideration. Each round of Sportsball will use a different number of players depending on the sports we put together to make that round. Players will be randomly chosen for each round." Chris explained.

Genevieve raised her hand to get Chris's attention. "Why so generous? There's hardly anything life threatening in this challenge, and it almost seems normal compared to the usual perils we face in this game." She said.

"Well one of the conditions for getting that enormous payment that got Dante eliminated was that I need at lest one 'safe' challenge. The rest I can make as deadly as I want, so I figured might as well get the easy one out of the way." Chris explained.

Genevieve smiled at this information, and Ciara glared at her clenching her fist.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Please let me go against Genevieve in one of these challenges. I can't hurt her outside of challenges, but if a ball were to mess up her pretty and smug face then that'd be a happy accident." Ciara said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The first round of Sportsball took place at the beach. Everyone was dressed in their swimming outfits in case they were chosen for the challenge.

"The first round of Sportsball will be a combination of Dodgeball, Golf, and Water Polo. Contestants will be put in the water and given golf balls. Your goal is to try and hit the opponent with a golf ball. Whoever loses all their players, or whoever has the most players left when you run out of golf balls will be the winner of the round." Chris explained. "Playing for the Killer Hydra we have Kyoko, Nicky, and Tom while playing for the Screaming Phoenix we have AJ, Miriam, and Zelda." He announced.

"But I can't..." Zelda started to say.

"Swim. We all know. That's why Chef will let you borrow a life jacket to help you float." Chris said. He pointed over to Chef who was holding an old life jacket that probably was filled with holes.

Zelda gulped nervously, and Miriam put her hand on Zelda's shoulder. "Don't worry, as long as I'm in the round, I'll make sure you don't drown." She told her confidently.

The six players got into the water and were each given six golf balls. They were also given safety goggles to protect their eyes from the golf balls and water. Once Chef blew the whistle they spread out to create distance, except for Zelda who awkwardly floated in place. Being unable to move well, and also being afraid of falling underwater Zelda was left a perfect target. Kyoko was able to take her out with a single golf ball to her arm. After she was out, the game became a lot more frantic. Due to the limited amount of golf balls they had, most of the players were reluctant to throw until they were sure. Tom saw an opportunity to hit Miriam, and took the shot. Seeing it coming, Miriam dived under water and his golf ball ended up hitting AJ in the forehead.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I was trying to hit Miriam, not AJ." Tom said. "Well, it's still hitting someone on the other team so it's not all bad. I just hope that didn't hurt as much as it looked like it hurt." He said.

 **(Switch)**

AJ had a large bump on her forehead, and there were tears in her eyes. "That really hurt." She mumbled.

 **(Confessional End)**

Miriam was the last one left on her team, and she focused much more on dodging rather than trying to take out her opponents. Moving in the water was a bit more difficult compared to her usual movement style, but she was learning to adapt quickly. The Killer Hydra tried their hardest to hit her, making sure to only throw when they had a clear shot, but they still missed due to her quick thinking.

"You can dodge all you want, but you can't win unless you take out all three of us as well." Kyoko told Miriam.

"I'm well aware of that." Miriam said. "Luckily I have a plan to do just that." She said.

Rather than throwing the golf balls directly at them, Miriam curved it to bounce off of the water, and hit Tom in the side. She did the same to get Nicky out. Kyoko realized what she was doing, and counteracted by throwing her last golf ball in the same manner to collide with Miriam's and drop them both into the water. Unfortunately, Kyoko had miscounted how many golf balls Miriam had left, and got hit by her last one with no way to defend herself, or move from it's path.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That was smart of her. I thought she only had one left, but it turned out she still had two at the end. If only I had thought of curving them with the water to make them harder to dodge beforehand." Kyoko said.

 **(Switch)**

"Miriam is proving to be the biggest threat on the other team, maybe the biggest threat on the island. She's strong, smart, creative an effective leader, and has decent social skills. Something has to be done about her." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"The first point goes to the Screaming Phoenix. Go ahead and get changed before we meet up for round two of Sportsball." Chris told them.

"You did great out there Kitten." Maddie told Nicky.

"But I didn't do good in the game. Not to mention we lost." Nicky said.

"Well you still looked great to me. I'm sure Nicole is proud of her mom." Maddie said. She gave Nicky a kiss on the cheek before walking off with Nicole to get changed. Nicky slowly touched her cheek confused.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Are we dating?" Nicky asked herself again.

 **(Confessional End)**

"For round two of Sportsball, we put together Baseball, Ping Pong, and bowling. One player from each team will step up to the ping pong table. You'll play a game of ping pong except with baseball bats and baseballs. Behind you will be a set of bowling pins. You need to not only get the baseball past your opponent, but also have it knock down the bowling pins behind them. Whoever has the most pins down after thirty minutes will be the winner and get their team a point." Chris explained to them.

"Should I even begin to explain all of the reasons why this challenge makes no sense?" Clifford asked.

"You should probably save your breath since I don't think he cares." Tom said.

Chris ignored the two of them to start the round. "For this game we have Ciara versus Zelda." He said.

"I'm going again?" Zelda asked.

"We did say it was random." Chris shrugged.

"Don't worry sis, I'll go easy on you." Ciara said.

"Hold on, just because you're dating my brother doesn't mean we're sisters yet." Zelda said.

"Well in that case I won't go easy on you soon to be sis." Ciara replied laughing.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"How did she end up with Dante again?" Zelda asked herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Ciara and Zelda went to the table ready to play. As Clifford had predicted, the game that Chris had set up was quite difficult. The baseball bats were awkward to use at such a close distance to each other, and the baseballs didn't bounce on the table the way a ping pong would. In the small chance that one of the girls managed to aim their ball, the baseball simply was not strong enough to knock down the pins as a bowling ball would. Time was halfway up when Chef blew his whistle for a brief time out.

"This isn't working. No matter what either of us do, those pins won't go down." Zelda told her team.

"Chris wouldn't create a challenge that is impossible. We need to tackle this from another angle." Anthony suggested.

"You're smart Zelda, can't you look at weight, or equilibrium, or something like that so that the pins will fall without needing much force?' Lucy asked.

Zelda pondered for a moment and nodded. "Most of the hits that Ciara and I have been doing are at their most stable spots. That's simply what's easiest to hit. If I aim elsewhere it will be harder to hit, but should knock down the pins no problem." She said.

Once the break was over Ciara and Zelda returned to the table to finish the last half of their game. Zelda attempted to implement the strategy she discussed with their teammates, but it wasn't going well. Ciara suddenly got an idea and smiled. When it was her turn to serve the baseball, she "accidentally" hit it in the wrong area, hitting Genevieve in the chest.

"Disqualify her for that." Genevieve yelled at Chris as she stood back up clutching her chest in pain.

"Baseballs are so hard to aim, aren't they my dear sister who isn't entirely my sister yet?" Ciara asked Zelda.

"I think you've earned the right to call me sister after hitting Genevieve like that." Zelda laughed.

Chef blew his whistle indicating for the pair to finish their game. After a close game of nothing, Zelda managed to hit a baseball where to pins were less balanced knocking a few of them down. Ciara tried to mimic this strategy, but was unable to pull it off before time was up.

"Second point goes to the Screaming Phoenix. That puts them at two points, while the Killer Hydra are at nothing." Chris announced.

"We cannot lose another challenge. No matter what happens, make sure we win the next three rounds." Clifford told him team.

The third game took place in a portable ice rink that Chris had rented for the challenge.

"Game three brings us to this cool ice rink." Chris said laughing at his own bad joke. "It's going to be a combination of Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, and four square." He explained.

"Ice Hockey doesn't have a ball." Johnathan pointed out.

"A puck is close enough to a ball." Chris said irritated. "It will be a two on two game. Each player will be given a stick with a net to catch the incoming ball. You must then toss it to another player. It can be your partner, or an opponent. If you fail to catch the ball you're out. The ice will make it harder to move and catch the ball, so be careful. Last player standing gets a point for their team." Chris explained. "This will be a fun one, as the Killer Hydra get Maddie and Kitty, while the Screaming Phoenix get Genevieve and Koh." He said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"This will be an easy win, I just need to push the right buttons." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The four players got on their square with the necessary equipment to play. Maddie in the first square, Genevieve was next to her, Nicky was across from Genevieve, and Koh was next to Nicky. As Maddie was first, she threw the ball at Genevieve, trying to get her out first.

"You know, I never did thank you for your assistance with the fire that night." Genevieve said throwing the ball back to Maddie.

"I won't let you mess with my head. That was all your doing." Maddie said throwing the ball back to Genevieve.

"Oh but I wouldn't have been able to do anything at all had you not assisted. You can wash your hands of guilt, but the blood is still there." Genevieve said throwing the ball once more to Maddie.

"You're right, I should've listened to Kitten when she warned me about you. I felt guilty about helping you, but Nicole and Kitten reminded me that I'm not to blame. I owe it to them to make sure I don't lose to you." Maddie said. She threw the ball fiercely at Genevieve, who was unable to intercept in time, and instead got hit in the face.

"That was awesome Maddie." Nicky cheered from her square.

"Couldn't have done it without you helping me get over my guilt last challenge. I still feel bad about how things happened, but I won't let Genevieve tell me I'm to blame when it was all her doing." Maddie said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That did not go how I anticipated. It seems the pyromaniac's girlfriend and feline are much more positive influences than I estimated them to be. Still this does give me a new idea for winning this challenge." Genevieve smirked.

 **(Confessional End)**

With Genevieve out, the game was much harder on Koh. She could keep up with Maddie and Nicky decently well, but the pair had great coordination together. As they kept playing the ice became far slipperier making each catch of the ball closer and closer. It wasn't too much longer until Koh was out from Maddie and Nicky's combined onslaught.

"Koh is out, so the round goes to the Killer Hydra." Chris announced.

Koh angrily stormed back to her team, while Maddie and Nicky hugged each other.

"We did so good together Maddie." Nicky told her.

"Of course we did. There's no better pair on this island than us." Maddie said hugging Nicky again.

"I have to know Maddie are we..." Nicky started to ask before Maddie cut her off.

"Hold that thought until later Kitten. Clifford is giving us a glare... Even though we won that round!" Maddie yelled over at Clifford. The two girls joined up with their team.

The fourth round was set up outdoors, and Chris had several horses in a pen waiting for the lucky players of this round.

"Round four is going to be a fun one. We're combining Football, Handball, and Horeseball." Chris announced. Zelda immediately raised her hand to get Chris' attention. "What is it now?" He asked her annoyed.

"Well you said these games were combining three sports, but Horseball is already a combination of sports. It's a combination of polo, rugby, and basketball. That means if we're using Horseball in this game, that would be five sports rather than just three." She pointed out.

"I'm going to pretend I cared about any of that and move on." Chris answered. "This game will be played on horseback. The goal will be to throw your football into the other person's goal and past their goalie. If you fall off your horse at any moment, then you are out of the game. Whoever has the most points after twenty minutes is the winner. If a team has all their players fall off the horse, then they automatically lose." He explained to them. "Playing for the Killer Hydra is Clifford, Kyoko, Maddie, and Tom. As for the Screaming Phoenix, they'll have Johnathan, Lucy, Aiden, and Anthony." Chris said.

"We've got this challenge down no problem. Lucy, and Aiden are experts at riding horses, Johnathan is a football star, and Anthony is smart enough to come up with some good strategies." Miriam said confidently.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm a good actor, but learning to ride a horse was not something I did to prepare for this role. I have to think of something before I break character and lose the challenge." Aiden said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"How 'bout ah be the goalie for this game." Aiden offered.

"Wouldn't it make the most sense to have Johnathan be the goalie as he has the best reflexes?" Anthony asked. "Not to mention you are probably the best horseback rider here along with Lucy." He added.

"No sweat if he want's to play goalie." Johnathan said. "That position isn't really my style anyway." He said.

"Well you are the expert when it comes to sports so I guess we can do that." Anthony conceded. The Killer Hydra on the other hand elected to have Clifford be their goalie.

They each got on their horse, and prepared for the round. Most moved slowly starting off, getting used to the feeling of riding on the horse. Lucy on the other hand was already an expert in horseback riding, and was able to maneuver around with the football well. She made her way to the Killer Phoenix goal, but Clifford was able to block the ball before it went in. He threw it back over to his team. Johnathan moved his horse over, and intercepted the ball from them. With it in hand, he charged his horse forward to the goal once more. As he approached he passed the ball at Lucy. Unfortunately, due to how fast he was going, when he stopped his horse ended up tossing him over.

"Johnathan is out." Chris announced.

Anthony sighed, but moved his horse to regroup with Lucy now that he had a bit better control of it.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I figured something like that would happen. I didn't want to question him since this is his area of expertise, but Aiden would have been much less likely to fall off the horse. Not to mention Clifford is proving to be an effective goalie due to his size, same as Johnathan would have been." Anthony said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The game continued with everyone slowly gaining good control of their horses. Things were a bit more of an even playing field, but with one less player, the Screaming Phoenix stood at a minor disadvantage. As Lucy was about to score a goal, Clifford barley intercepted.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Lucy was the horse riding expert. Once we took care of her, the round was ours." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Clifford took the ball, but rather than throwing it towards his team, he threw it at Lucy's horse, injuring it and knocking her off of it.

"Chris there's no way that's fair." Anthony complained.

"No rule against using the ball to knock someone off of their horse." Chris said.

"Yes there is." Zelda interjected. "In Horseball, it's prohibited from injuring the horses in any way." She said.

Chris laughed at her statement. "Well then it's a good thing that we're playing Sportsball and not Horseball." He said.

Anthony by himself was no match for the remainder of the Killer Hydra. It was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed him and scored a point past Aiden. The remainder of the clock ran up, and the point went to the Killer Hydra.

"We're tied at two points each. Everyone get ready for the final round of the world's greatest game of Sportsball." Chris announced.

"We should've listened to my strategy. Wasn't that the whole point of assigning me as strategist this round?" Anthony asked.

Johnathan looked down guiltily. "Yeah that was my bad. I was so ready to play some football that I kinda forgot about the horses." He said.

"You're right, but let's not dwell on the past. Let's just make sure to win whatever the last round will be." Miriam told them.

The final round of Sportsball would begin soon enough. Everyone was gathered with anticipation as to what insane sports Chris would combine for the final round. In front of them was a closed off Basketball court and spectator seats.

"We've had quite an intense day of Sportsball today. Is everyone ready for the final round to commence?" Chris asked them.

"Alright, well what chimera of a sport have you created for this finale?" Clifford asked Chris.

"What?" Chris asked confused.

"He wants to know what sports you put together for this one." Kyoko translated.

"Well the interns ran out of sports to research, so because of that, the finale will just be a game of basketball." Chris revealed.

Everyone looked at him blankly unsure if he was joking. "That seems a bit anticlimactic." Miriam pointed out.

"Like I said, blame the interns. I don't know what they were doing this morning, but it wasn't researching sports." Chris complained. "We'll have a 5 on 5 game. First to get a point wins. The Killer Hydra will have Clifford, Kyoko, Ciara, Maddie, and Kitty playing. The Screaming Phoenix on the other hand get Johnathan, Aiden, Koh, Zelda, and Miriam." Chris said.

"Take care of Nicole while we play Tom." Maddie said handing her cat baby over to Tom.

"Perfect." Genevieve said to herself softly.

The ten players got onto the court and Chef threw the basketball in the air blowing his whistle to get the ball. With Koh, Miriam, and Johnathan, the Screaming Phoenix had a major physical advantage over the Killer Hydra. Regardless of this disadvantage, the Killer Hydra weren't going down without a fight and tried their best to keep up. As they played, Genevieve found everyone distracted and implemented her strategy to win, and get back at the Hydra for the pain they inflicted on her.

"Give me the cat." Genevieve told Tom.

"I'm sorry?" He asked.

"You heard me, give me the cat. Unless you want the details of our arrangement and your note sending scheme to be unveiled." Genevieve said.

Tom sighed and reluctantly handed over Nicole. "Promise me that you won't hurt her." He said.

Genevieve smiled at him. "I would never dream of hurting an innocent creature, even one as horrendous as this beast." She said. Genevieve snuck around behind the court unseen and dropped Nicole so she would wander inside onto the court. Sure enough, that's what the cat did looking for her mothers. The players didn't notice the cat walking around until they almost stepped on her.

"Nicole what are you doing here you bad girl." Maddie scolded picking her up.

"We've got to get her out of here." Nicky said.

"Excuse me, but we're in the middle of a game." Clifford pointed out.

Maddie glared at Clifford. "We will not be playing this game any further until my baby is safe. You may not care, but if anything happens to my baby then I will personally see to it that you never have a baby of your own." Maddie threatened.

"Okay let's just take Nicole out of here. I don't think that level of aggressiveness is good for her at such a young age." Nicky said grabbing Maddie's hand and walking her out.

"Your baby is a cat." Clifford yelled back at them.

"Now what?" Kyoko asked Clifford.

"Now you lose." Koh said scoring a point while they were distracted.

The Screaming Phoenix cheered for their victory while Clifford grabbed the basketball throwing it to relieve his building anger.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"One of those mothers needs to leave, and so does that cat." Clifford yelled.

 **(Confessional End)**

As the challenge had ended, they each went their separate ways. Maddie and Nicky sat at the beach watching Nicole play in the sand. "You know they're going to try and vote one of us out after that." Nicky told Maddie.

"Let them try. I'd rather lose the game than lose you or our baby." Maddie replied caressing Nicky.

Nicky broke free of her briefly and looked at Maddie nervously. "Maddie, do you consider us to be girlfriends?" She asked.

"Of course, what else would we be?" Maddie asked.

Nicky blushed and looked away. "Just so you know, I don't mean girlfriends like the type of girlfriends who go to the mall together and gossip about guys, I meant the other type of girlfriends." She said.

"Yeah, that's the type I meant too." Maddie said. "I'm confused Kitten, what's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Are we dating?" Nicky blurted out.

"I thought we were." Maddie said. "Do you not want to be dating?" Maddie asked with hurt in her voice.

"No... I mean yes.. I mean... I didn't know we were dating, but I would love to date you." Nicky said.

Maddie cupped Nicky's chin and leaned forward to her. "Do you want to make it official Kitten?" She asked.

"Maddie please, not in front of Nicole." Nicky said red as a tomato.

"She's having fun in the sand. She won't mind us." Maddie said. "You are the person I love most on this island, and even if one of us gets eliminated tonight, meeting you was the best thing that happened to me." She said. The pair leaned towards each other, and shared their first kiss as an official couple.

While they shared what may be their last moments together, the Killer Hydra planned their elimination.

"Ciara, I know you're friends with them, but they really messed up that last game. They care about Nicole a bit too much." Kyoko said.

"Besides, don't you think this is only fair after what happened to Max last time?" Tom asked.

Ciara looked conflicted, but shook her head. "I'm sorry, but i can't vote them out. I know what it's like to lose someone you love on this place. If I separated them, then I'd be no better than Genevieve who separated Dante and me." She said.

"Will you be logical for a single second?" Clifford asked her. "Those girls and their cat have caused us trouble after trouble. I thought eliminating Max would make the cat more manageable, but it's a liability and so are they." He said.

"Ciara please, you need to vote with us. I'm friends with Maddie and Nicky too, but I don't think we can keep them as long as Nicole is around." Kyoko pleaded.

"I won't vote for them. Not so soon after they got together." Ciara said walking off.

The remaining three looked at each other wondering what their next move would be. Clifford pulled at his hair and Kyoko gently grabbed his arm to calm him down.

"Getting mad won't fix anything Clifford. She's hurt because she lost her own boyfriend. It makes sense she wouldn't want to separate the girls so soon after they got together." Kyoko said.

"When exactly did they get together? Was it before they got the cat, or was adopting the cat their way of asking each other out?" Tom asked.

"That is not relevant in the slightest Tom." Clifford yelled at him.

"Okay, forgive my curiosity." Tom said startled by the outburst.

"If Ciara won't vote for us, then we're at a tie right now. The best thing we can do is split up their votes." Kyoko said.

Tom thought and stood up. "Leave that to me. I can make sure the three of them don't vote together, and then we won't need Ciara to vote with us." He said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Another loss, and another challenge closer to the teams merging. At this rate I am going to have to start searching for allies on the other side." Clifford said. He paused, and thought for a moment before smiling. "On second thought, that may prove to be a better idea." He said.

 **(Switch)**

"I know that Maddie and Nicky lost the challenge for us, but I can't separate them. Not after what happened to Dante." Ciara said. As she was going to leave the confessional it opened, and an intern handed her a note. "A note from Maddie. I wonder what she needs that she can't tell me in person?" Ciara asked herself.

 **(Switch)**

"As much fun as it would have been to see the feline trampled I have to say that worked better than expected. Everyone was so distracted by the final game that I'm clean from all guilt associated." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

I thought Hydra were supposed to get stronger when you cut the heads off. You guys must be the lamest Hydra ever." Chris taunted them.

"The elimination please." Clifford asked him.

As Chris gave his usual elimination monologue, Ciara moved next to Nicky. "I got the note from Maddie." She whispered.

"What note?' Nicky whispered back.

"The one where we vote for Tom since he caused Nicole to wander onto the court." Ciara said.

"I thought we were voting for Clifford since he's become a controlling jerk." Nicky replied.

"Ladies I"m trying to host here." Chris yelled at them. Now we have two votes for Clifford, and one vote for Tom. It was pretty obvious one of the moms was going home, and that one with three votes is...

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Maddie." Chris announced. Maddie sighed, but stood up.

"Don't go Maddie." Nicky grabbed onto her and tearing up.

"We knew it was coming to this Kitten. You'll win for me and our baby won't you?" She asked.

"You know I will." Nicky said confidently as she let go.

"Getting eliminated sucks, but at least I get to ride the Pendulum. That thing looks like a lot of fun." Maddie said switching from sad to excited.

"Please take your cat with you." Clifford said tossing Nicole to Maddie.

"As if I'd leave her on the island with you around." Maddie told Clifford. Before she left to the Pendulum of Shame, she kicked Clifford in the shins, and gave Nicky a goodbye kiss.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Why is is that every couple on this island keeps getting eliminated as soon as they get together?" Nicky asked herself. She pondered for a moment before gasping. "Maddie said that I was the person she loved most on the island. I'm sure Dante felt the same way about Ciara, and Sarah about Anthony. The cursed spirit told Maddie she'd lose what she loved most forever. We all thought the curse was specific to Maddie, but what if the island has become cursed? What if it's cursed so that as soon as a couple gets together they're doomed to be separated by elimination?" Nicky pondered to herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Koh and Aiden snuck their way back to the intern camp. The interns had all gone to sleep leaving it empty and free to look around.

"You know what to do, keep guard and I'll get the file. We aren't messing up this time." Koh said.

Aiden nodded and the pair got to work. "You know Koh, I'm honored you keep inviting me to these trips. Maybe once you learn about Calista you'd be willing to invite me somewhere else. Perhaps somewhere to eat?" He asked her.

"NO!" Koh yelled throwing the computer monitor.

Aiden turned around startled by Koh's outburst. "It was just a joke Koh." He said.

"Not you idiot. Someone has deleted all of the contestant files, including the Calista file." She yelled kicking the computer's memory.

"Who could have done that?" Aiden asked.

"I don't know, but it was one of the four girls we saw here last time. When I find out which one of them got in my way, eliminating them from the game will seem like an act of mercy." Koh threatened.

At the docks, a shadowed, but clearly female figure was seen dropping a USB into the ocean.

"Just when things seem to calm down, they pick up again. I love this season. How will things go next time. Will Clifford get his team under control? Will anyone be safe from Koh's wrath. Who's the next couple cursed to be separated? Find out all this and more next time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." Chris said ending the episode.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro: The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

18\. Brett Drake: The Powerhouse Man

17\. Dante Valverde: The Overprotective and Overbearing Older Brother

16\. Maximilian Brooks: The Lucky Guy

15\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines: The Small Pyromaniac

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Clifford, Tom, Ciara, Kyoko, and Nicky

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Johnathan, Anthony, Lucy, Aiden, Koh, Miriam, Genevieve, AJ, and Zelda

 **Apologies to Aleister Bloodrive VII for Maddie's elimination. A lot of people have said that Maddie seems like a down to Earth version of Izzy, and that's the same thought I had when I accepted her. She's wild and unpredictable, but she has a lot of heart. I've enjoyed developing her, especially in regards to her relationship with Nicky. The two of them are such opposites, but the dynamic between them works so well. From friends, to kitten co-parents, to a couple, I think Nicky and Maddie are my favorite pair to work on so far. As much as I've loved them though, I knew one of them had to go here. It was a very hard choice, and I think that Nicky has just a bit more that I can work with compared to Maddie. I kind of wish I had used her more in the beginning of the story, because up until the Spirit challenge she had just been comedic relief. Still thought I think I handled her well, I enjoyed what she brought to the story, and I know she'll be dearly missed.**

* * *

 **A/N: First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for the long hiatus. I was given the opportunity of a lifetime when my friend invited me to work abroad with him as part of a work/study program. We applied hoping for this experience, and to our surprise we made it. We spent the last three months out of the country working, and also just experiencing somewhere new and different from what we usually have available. It was never my intention to abandon either of my stories while I was away, but between doing the work I was there for, hanging out with my friend and general sight seeing I guess fanfiction was the last thing on my mind. I flew back very recently, and knew that since I was done with this awesome experience I needed to make things right here. I want to thank everyone who sent me kind DMs during the few months that I was gone. As for those of you who sent me some not so kind DMs, yell I don't hold it against you being mad but be nicer next time. Honestly I'm a bit mad at myself about this debacle. For this story in particular I wanted to reach the merge before the one year anniversary of writing in July, but now that didn't happen. I was making really good progress recently so it hurts to slip up like this. Next two chapters will be a much shorter wait since I'm really excited about both of those and am already hard at work to make up for the wait. They are major game changers, and I think everyone will enjoy what I have planned. If you thought Playing with Fire was a game changer, well we haven't seen anything yet. I think 2 weeks is a good estimate for the next chapter and the one following it will be a week or so after. Hopefully I can stick to that estimate and not disappoint again.**

 **As for this chapter itself, it's a rather straight forward one. It's definitely a lot shorter than the majority of my chapters and a large reason for that is I just wanted to get it done after being gone for so long. I don't think it's my worst chapter ever, but it is a bit weaker when compared to some of my more recent ones in my opinion. The challenge was fun since sports are pretty easy to incorporate into challenges. With a massive four person lead now, the Screaming Phoenix are in a great position. Then again last time the Killer Hydra held a strong lead such as this one so who know's how long the Screaming Phoenix can keep it up.**

 **I think my absolute favorite part of the chapter though had to be the final moments spent with Nicky and Maddie. I knew one of them would be departing this time, so I really wanted to make their final moments memorable. I don't think anyone is surprised that they ended up together, especially since they are already raising a cat together. It was a touching moment, and I hope it will be remembered fondly. Finally, there were two major revelations. The first was that the Spirit's Curse is what's been causing the couples to get eliminated once they get together. So far we've had three couples being Antharah, Dantiara, and now Maddicky. There are still at least two more couples remaining to get together, so I'd love to hear any guesses on who those are and if the curse will hit them as well. The second major revelation isn't really a revelation, but rather a cliffhanger. Someone has deleted the files Koh was after, especially the Calista file. There are four main suspects right now, but it could really still be anyone. The Calista mystery approaches a climax, and you won't want to miss how it all turns out.**

 **Sorry once again for the painfully long delay, but I shouldn't have any more abrupt trips out of the country. Let's hope all goes well for next time, and we can make it to the merge sooner rather than later. The last few chapters before the merge are planned to be insane, and then the merge will just change everything in the best way possible.**


	15. A Night of Riddles and Danger

**Review Responses**

 _ **Mistress Mysterious-**_ Glad to see you're excited for what comes next. Keeping readers invested throughout my sporadic updates is a bit difficult, but it seems that I am managing it.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ Interesting guess on what happened to the files, and it's nice to know you enjoyed the chapter. Maddie was so much fun to write, and even though she's gone now I'm sure she made an impact. A lot of characters haven't been able to do too much, but I've been working to change that and show off the potential that they have.

 _ **Aleister Bloodrive VII-**_ I am so sorry that I hurt you emotionally as badly as I did in that last chapter. I guess however that is a sign that I'm doing something right with these chapters. Maddie was a joy, and I thank you once more for sending her in.

 _ **Beastboycoolman15-**_ No worries on falling behind on chapters. I've fallen behind on writing myself, so I'm in no place at all to judge you. Hope you enjoy once you're all caught up.

 _ **Nikolai777-**_ Your words of encouragement mean so much to me, I hope you know that. The fact that you and many others have nothing but kind words to say about my story keeps me going despite the loss of other readers, and the long hiatuses. I'll try breaking up the recap to see how that feels, but I don't know if I'll permanently change it. Just need to experiment a bit. Now onto the main points of your review. Clifford and Kyoko are a unique pair. I don't know if I'd exactly call them friends, but they are definitely allies. The main difference between them is Clifford is 100% logic whereas Kyoko also uses emotion along with logic. That difference will affect their interactions along the way. The Calista arc is almost at it's climax and eventual resolution. It's been building up slowly in the background, but the next couple of chapters it will really be the main focus. Quite a few characters are wrapped up in it, and by the end it will impact the game hard. Last thing I'll say is regarding Tom, he didn't out himself. I may have worded it poorly, but nobody knows that he sent the note to Ciara. Kyoko and Clifford know he interfered somehow, but don't know about the note. Ciara and Nicky know about the note, but don't know who sent it. He's still safe for now. Glad that you liked Maddicky, and I hope the upcoming chapters meet your expectations as I've probably set them high now.

 _ **Guest-**_ No worries that won't happen again... I hope... I can't really promise anything, and it's more likely than not that things will take a lot longer than I plan, but what I can say is that the story will be finished. If something ever goes terribly wrong and cancelling is the only option left I will tell you all right away. You won't ever be left wondering if it's cancelled or just unnecessarily long hiatus.

 _ **Guest (2)-**_ Don't worry, it's not cancelled. It's far longer than I wanted and said, but we're not cancelled yet and hopefully it will be finished rather than cancelled.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. Clifford tried to get the Killer Hydra out of their loosing streak. He took charge of the team, but met some resistance from Ciara, Nicky, and Maddie. Things were more busy than usual at the intern's campsite withe quite a few contestants stopping by to visit and take care of some business. What could they be doing there is anybody's guess.

The challenge was the world's first, and greatest game of Sportsball. There were some memorable moments throughout such as Zelda trying to navigate in the water despite not knowing how to swim, Ciara failing to play ping pong with a baseball bat, Aiden falling off a horse despite his supposed expertise as a cowboy, and a whole lot of pain. The final game came down to a basketball match where Tom accidentally let Nicole the cat onto the playing field losing the game for the Killer Hydra once more.

Despite some reluctance from several teammates, our dear cat mothers were separated and Maddie the pyromaniac was eliminated. Before that however the two moms shared a moment together confirming what everyone already knew about them. The Killer Hydra keep falling and the Screaming Phoenix continue to dominate. Will things change this time around? Who will be the next eliminated after making it this far? Just what went down at the intern's campsite? Find out all this and more right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Johnathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Lucy was having another of her nightmares. It had been a while since the last one had hit her, but suddenly they returned to her. She woke up drenched in sweat and out of breath. Luckily, she hadn't screamed this time when she awoke so she didn't disturb any of the girls who were asleep. After whipping off some of the sweat on her face and grabbing her diary, she slowly made her way out of the cabin hoping that a walk on the beach would help her to clear her mind.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I thought the nightmares were over after Kyle was eliminated. Talking with him helped me to calm down, but they seem to be coming back harder than ever." Lucy said nervously. "What am I going to do?" She asked herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

Lucy sat down on the beach and threw some stones across the ocean in an attempt to clear her mind. She was so distracted in her own thoughts that she didn't notice one of her teammates walk up behind her.

"Is everything okay with you?" The teammate asked.

Lucy jumped up in surprise and turned around to see that it was Zelda who had approached her. "I didn't wake you up when I left did I?" She asked Zelda.

Zelda shook her head and took a seat on the beach next to Lucy. "I haven't slept too much in quite some time. Ever since I lost my dog it's just been difficult to sleep without him. Eventually I sleep from pure exhaustion, but it's not a comfortable sleep by any means." She said.

"You haven't seemed tired at all in the challenges." Lucy said.

"I've done a decent job at managing my energy levels despite the loss of sleep. Enough about me however, I did come here to check on you after all." Zelda said. "I'll ask once more, is everything okay with you?" She asked.

Lucy looked away from Zelda and tried to put on a fake smile. "Of course everything's fine with me. I'm having a great time on the island." She told Zelda.

"You should know that you can trust me. If anything is bothering you feel free to talk with me about it." Zelda said.

"I guess I've been thinking a bit about how far we've made it in the game. We've survived past ten brutal eliminations, and yet we're barely getting close to being halfway done here. This is a lot tougher than I expected it to be." Lucy said.

"Nobody said this game was going to be easy, but we all have a reason for being here. Myself I'm trying to win so that I can prove myself to my father. Winning will showcase almost all of my abilities in action." Zelda said. "What about you, why did you sign up?" She asked Lucy.

Lucy paused briefly and wrote something in her diary. "I guess I wanted to make some friends. I'ts been so long since I've talked to anyone my own age besides my foster siblings, and even then I'm the least favorite in the foster home ever since the murder trial happened. Ooh! That actually reminds me. I also joined the game because I wanted to win the prize money for law school." Lucy said.

"Wow law school is a really ambitious goal. I'm sure you'll make it as long as you stay determined." Zelda told her.

"That's so nice of you to say. I've been interested in studying law ever since my trial, so maybe it wasn't completely terrible. Both the prosecution and the defense that handled my trial were really hot so if I study law them I'm going to meet a bunch of smart, hot, and soon to be rich guys. Not to mention all of the legal nonsense they were saying sounds like a lot of fun to learn." Lucy excitedly told Zelda.

Zelda laughed and shook her head. "You went from being troubled to being excited very quickly. You're such a..." She started to say.

"Let me guess you're going to say I'm such an enigma aren't you?" Lucy asked with a slightly bitter tone. "Kyle said the same thing before he was eliminated and I"m still not sure if he was complimenting me or insulting me." She said.

"I was actually going to say you're such a fun person to be around. I didn't talk to him much, but I'm sure whatever Kyle told you was a compliment." Zelda said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Enigma is an adequate way of describing Lucy now that I think about it. Genevieve is convinced that she's hiding some big dark secret, but I think she just has trouble making friends so she's a bit more closed off. She has a lot of energy and seems to be quite the optimist. I should try to get to know her better so that she can have at least one strong friend before one of us is eliminated." Zelda said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Zelda and Lucy weren't the only ones awake so late into the night. Koh and Aiden had decided to meet while the rest of the island was asleep in order to discuss how they'd find who deleted the files on the computer.

"Did we have to meet at such a difficult time Koh?" Aiden asked suppressing a yawn.

"If we met in the morning we ran the risk of being discovered or being interrupted by Chris starting a challenge. We need to act fast if we're going to devise a plan to find out which of our four suspects is the guilty party. Naturally the first thing we need to figure out what motive they could have. Genevieve may be covering up her involvement in Dante's elimination, and I've suspected that Lucy could be hiding something for some time now. Something about her feels off to me." Koh said.

Aiden nodded as he digested the information presented to him. "So then can we get rid of Nicky and Ciara as suspects? I don't think either of them have anything to do with this." He said.

Koh thought for a moment before shaking her head. "It's too early to completely rule them out of the investigation. Though it's harder to come up with a motive for one of them to delete the computer files." She said.

"Ya know I really appreciate you trusting me to help you with this Koh." Aiden told her smiling.

Koh smiled and playfully hit Aiden across the shoulder. "I normally work alone, but having you help me has made things a bit easier. Besides, I've learned to tolerate you so you aren't as annoying as you were when we first arrived on the island." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"If I want things between Koh and me to go any further, then I need to tell her the truth. Even if she falls for the southern sweetheart that she's come to know there's no future for us until she meets the real me." Aiden said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Aiden took a deep breath and looked Koh directly in her eyes. He smiled at her and she smiled back. "Koh there's something that I need to tell you." Aiden told her dropping his accent. As soon as he spoke in his normal voice however Koh stepped back from him and put her guard up.

"What just happened to your voice?" She asked putting her hands up and taking a defensive stance.

"Calm down Koh. This is my natural way of speaking. The accent was just to help sell the cowboy act." Aiden said trying to calm her. He took a step forward to her carefully, but Koh stepped back to keep the distance between them.

"What do you mean by act?" Koh asked him.

"I'm an actor Koh. In order to increase my chances of getting chosen as well as a way to showcase my abilities I adopted the role of a southern cowboy. The accent, the mannerisms, the personality it was all to sell my acting skills. But my interest and friendship in you wasn't part of the act." He told her.

"So everything about you was just an act, except for all of those times that you flirted with me. That was supposed to be the real you?" Koh asked him.

"The first time or so was part of the act, but I genuinely grew interested in you and wanted to learn more about you. Even now I still don't know why Calista and the computer mean so much to you, but I'm willing to help you out because I care about you." Aiden said.

The pair stood in silence unsure of what would happen next until Koh began to laugh sarcastically. "How stupid do you think I am. If you lied about being a cowboy why would I possibly believe you about anything you say? I don't know what game you're trying to play here by revealing your act, but I'm not going to stick around until I find out. I can take care of the computer mystery myself, I don't need you." She bitterly told him looking away.

"Koh I..." Aiden began to say before Koh harshly turned back to stare him down.

"I don't want to hear it!" She yelled. "I'll keep your little act a secret as an act of kindness for our former relationship, but if you don't stay away from me then I won't hesitate to tell everyone."

 **(Confessional Camera)**

Aiden sighed and rubbed his eyes in thought. "That was not how I expected it to go down. I thought she'd take the news better coming from me, but now she doesn't trust me at all. At least now Genevieve doesn't have any more dirt on me." He said.

 **(Switch)**

"I can't believe I was actually starting to like him. I should've never let my guard down. It's time that I finish what I came here to do." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

As Aiden sullenly walked back to his cabin a loud alarm played over the loudspeaker waking everyone up. Among the various groans and complaints of being woken up in the middle of the night Aiden made his way into the crowd hoping that nobody realized he was gone. As the alarm turned off, Chris and Chef drove up to them.

"Who's ready for the next challenge?" Chris asked them.

"Did it have to be so early... or maybe it's so late. I can't even think with how tired I am." Ciara said.

Chris laughed and blew an air horn into his megaphone. "Let's see if that will wake you whiners up." He said. "Today's challenge needed to be set in the dead of the night in order to set the mood." He explained.

"Didn't we already have a night challenge this season?" Antony asked.

"Who said that you would only have to do one?" Chris asked her. "Before we get on with the challenge however we need to do something about the team situation going on. The Killer Hydra have proven to be a bunch of losers, and the drama isn't as fun anymore on the Screaming Phoenix so let's mix up the teams." Chris told them. Collective gasps could be heard from his revelation.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"This could work out to my favor as my current team was failing me. On the other hand I could be stuck with even more irrational and illogical players. I'll have to find a way to make the most of this regardless of my new team members." Clifford said.

 **(Switch)**

"Please don't keep me on the same team as Genevieve. Please don't keep me on the same team with Genevieve." Zelda repeated keeping her fingers crossed for good luck.

 **(Switch)**

"Well this is fortunate indeed. While there may be some people on the other team who don't appreciate my skill set this will put me in a stronger position than I've been in quite some time." Genevieve said smirking.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Now then our new Killer Hydra will be Anthony, Clifford, Kyoko, Koh, Genevieve, Tom, and Lucy. That means that the new Screaming Phoenix will be Zelda, Johnathan, Ciara, Aiden, Miriam, AJ and Kitty." Chris revealed.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Are you kidding me, we get brand new teams, and yet AJ is still on another team than me. I really miss talking with her about books, and really just getting to know her." Tom said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Okay, we have our new teams, so let's get on with the challenge. I hope you're all ready for a tense game of espionage as you're going to be looking for the legendary Chris McLean golden bust. It's hidden somewhere on the island, and in order to find it you'll have to follow the clues gained by solving a series of riddles and puzzles." He told them.

"That doesn't sound too bad of a challenge." Nicky said.

Chris laughed sadistically at her comment. "You haven't seen the puzzles yet. Trust me that they're some of the most brutal and painful puzzles that you've ever had to solve. Here are your first riddles." Chris said. He handed each team a note containing their first riddle. "By the way, you'd better hurry because if nobody finds the legendary Chris McLean golden bust by sunrise then both teams will have to vote someone out." Chris announced before heading off.

The remaining contestants gathered into their new teams and took a look at the riddles that were handed to them.

"We've got this challenge hands down. As long as we let Zelda take care of the riddles there's no way that we can lose." Johnathan said eagerly putting his fist in the air.

"Let's not get too overconfident, riddles seem like the type of thing that Clifford and Kyoko would be great at." Miriam said. "Nicky, Ciara is there any information that you can give us on the other team that'll help?" She asked.

"Well you're right that Clifford and Kyoko will be able to take on the riddles without too much of a struggle." Nicky said.

"But I don't think they'll work well as a team together." Ciara added.

"Why's that?" Miriam asked.

"Well Clifford took the role of leader on our team, and he's a bit of a control freak. I don't think Genevieve or Koh will work well with him based on what I've seen from them." Ciara said.

"We should still keep our guard up in this challenge and try to work as fast as we can." Zelda said. "Ignoring their potential conflict they still hold an advantage due to their collective ability to solve the riddles. There's also Anthony's ability to invent things with very little resources at his disposal. That will be a dangerous skill when you combine it with the creative nature of Clifford and Kyoko." She added.

"Don't forget about Tom." AJ said. "He's read a lot of books and has a lot of knowledge at his disposal." She said.

Everyone looked a bit down on their chances of winning this challenge, so Johnathan shook his head. "Come on let's not give up before the challenge even gets going. Sure they've got more people who can do riddles than us, but we're still a great team. We've got a genius in Zelda, Miriam you're great at making decisions and coming up with plans. AJ you've read just as many books as Tom has, and Aiden you're tough enough to survive the wild west if you needed to. I don't really know what Ciara or Nicky can do, but I'm sure you've got skills too. Besides anyone who's a match for Dante has to be a tough girl." He said. "Enough with the pity party, let's take down these dumb riddles." He cheered.

"Alright, let's take a look at the first riddle." Ciara said. "What is more useful when it is broken?" She read aloud.

Zelda thought for a moment and came up with the answer. "An egg. That means we should look inside of the refrigerator in Chef's kitchen." She said. They ran off to the kitchen hopeful that they could solve what they found there.

Meanwhile with the Killer Hydra, they had solved the first riddle with ease and were looking on how to proceed now.

"Always in you, Sometimes on you. If I surround you, I can kill you. What am I?" Clearly the answer is water so now that we're at the beach what are we supposed to do next?" Clifford asked.

"Maybe that crate on the dock will have some answers for us. It wasn't there last night so it must be part of the challenge." Lucy suggested.

Clifford looked at Lucy suspiciously. "How do you know that crate wasn't there the night before?" He asked her.

"I go on walks around the island sometimes to clear my mind." She answered.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I've noticed that girl displaying suspicious nature before, and now that she's on my team I won't let it continue. If she's hiding something I'm going to find out what it is." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Sure enough, Lucy was right and the crate contained several fishing rods for them. They'd have to go fishing for their next clue.

"I think I might be able to make this task easier for us." Anthony said.

"How so?" Clifford asked him.

"Well, I think I might be able to make these automatic fishing rods. That way they'll start reeling themselves in when we get a bite rather than us having to manually do it. I don't know how many of you have experience fishing, but if we use the automatic rods then it should make it easier on all of us." Anthony explained.

"How long will that take?" Kyoko asked him.

"If I rush it shouldn't take long at all, but I can't guarantee they'll work perfectly if I make them going at a faster pace." Anthony answered.

Clifford contemplated the options presented to him, and nodded. "We don't have time to spend as there's no way of knowing the progress the other team has made solving their riddles." He said.

Anthony got to work on upgrading the fishing rods as fast as he could. He had a few spare gears and springs on hand that would help the rods to pull automatically. As soon as he finished on one of the rods he would hand it to one of his teammates, and got to work on the next one. The automatic fishing rods proved to be helpful as they were pulling out fish at a much faster rate than they ever would have manually. Unfortunately, none of the fish contained the next clue that they were looking for so they were stuck fishing for quite some time.

"Hopefully whatever the Screaming Phoenix have to do it's as tedious and repetitive as this." Tom said.

Outside of the kitchen, the Screaming Phoenix were looking for some way to get the eggs from Chef's kitchen since he was guarding it.

"We need to get ourselves an egg, but with Chef watching his kitchen like a hawk there's no safe way to get it." Miriam said.

"What if we all rush him? He's a big guy, but I don't think he can stop all seven of us." Johnathan suggested.

Miriam rolled her eyes at his suggestion. "Before I point out all of the reasons that plan would not work does anybody else have an idea of how to get the egg we need?" She asked.

"Why don't you sneak past him?" Ciara asked. "I heard that you were able to use your dancing skills to outwit Chef during the laser tag challenge, so why don't you do the same here?" She asked.

Miriam shook her head. "That was a different challenge than this. I wouldn't be able to sneak past him easily, but maybe one of us can. AJ you're the smallest one here, and you don't make much noise either. I think you're the best bet that we have to sneaking past Chef and getting the eggs." She said.

AJ looked nervously through the window to see Chef, but nodded in agreement as she turned back. "I-I think I can do it." She said.

"No worries, if you end up getting caught we can always go back to my plan to rush him." Johnathan offered.

AJ took a deep breath before slowly opening the door and crawling on the floor towards the refrigerator. She moved slowly and held her breath so that she wouldn't make even the faintest sound to alert Chef that there was someone in his kitchen. As she got closer to her goal, she stepped on a squeaky floorboard creating an echoing squeak in the silence of the kitchen. AJ's heart sank as she saw Chef moving forward to where she was hoping to find the source of the noise. Thinking quickly, AJ hid under a nearby table. She waited for Chef to move past the table and headed as fast as she could to the refrigerator. After grabbing the egg carton and a spare bowl she ran out the back door and met back up with her team in the front.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"That was the most frightening thing I've ever done." AJ said. "But I can't believe I actually managed to pull it off. I was so worried I'd let everyone down, but I did it." She cheered tearing up joyfully.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Great job AJ. I knew you could pull it off." Miriam told her as she took the carton of eggs. AJ blushed from the compliment, but smiled back at her.

"Did ya need to get the entire carton?" Aiden asked her.

"This is actually better since we don't know which egg contains the next riddle. I'd say we start breaking the eggs and see if we can't find the riddle in one of them." Zelda suggested.

They followed her suggestion, and got to cracking the eggs hoping to find something. While the eggs themselves didn't have a clue, upon cracking all of the eggs the next clue was written on the inside of the egg carton.

"I'm not clothes but I cover your body. The more I'm used, the thinner I grow. What am I?" Nicky read aloud.

"The answer is a bar of soap." Zelda answered. "Let's hurry to the communal bathroom." She said. They ran off to see what awaited them at the communal bathroom.

While they made it to the next riddle, the Killer Hydra seemed to be stuck fishing all night. As Anthony had predicted, his rushed fishing rods weren't reinforced enough for so much use, and they were stuck fishing the traditional method instead. They had filled a basket of fish, and were all tired of having not made any progress in moving on.

"There has to be something that we're doing wrong. I don't think we're just supposed to be fishing otherwise we could be here forever." Tom said.

"Do you have any suggestions for what we could be doing differently? Clifford asked him.

"Well what if one of us dove into the water and looked around trying to find a clue of some sort." Tom suggested.

"A great idea, but how exactly do you expect one of us to be able to see underwater when we don't have any equipment for that?" Genevieve sarcastically asked Tom.

"That might not be a bad idea actually. The crate where all of the fishing rods were also has some swimming goggles. If one of us goes down there we might actually get a better idea of what we're supposed to be looking for with the fishing rods." Lucy said.

Koh snatched the swimming goggles from Lucy and stood at the edge of the dock. "Let me take care of this, I'm good at holding my breath so I'll be down there for a while." She said.

Koh put on the swimming goggles, and dove into the water hoping to find what they needed to keep going through the challenge. As she looked around she found a metal box that had bars on the outside. She figured that the goal was to wrap the fishing hooks on the metal bars and pull it out of the water like that. Before she swam back up to tell her team, something nearby got her attention. It was a small USB. Koh picked it up and returned to her team.

"There's a metal box down there. If we hook our fishing rods on the bars it has then we should be able to pull it out of the water together." Koh told them.

"That's hardly an easy task." Kyoko pointed out.

"Regardless of that fact we need to hurry. We have wasted too much time fishing blindly." Clifford said.

They cast their fishing rods roughly where Koh had pointed the box to be at and attempted to wrap them around the metal bars. Once they had a good grip on it they collectively reeled in the box and pulled it out of the water. Inside was the next clue.

"My life can be measured in hours, I serve by being devoured. Thin, I am quick. Fat, I am slow. Wind is my foe. What am I?" Tom read aloud.

"Yet another simplistic riddle. The answer is a candle. The question is where are we supposed to get a candle from?" Clifford asked.

"Why don't we just make a candle ourselves?" Lucy asked.

Genevieve laughed at her suggestion sarcastically. "Of course, why don't we merely make a candle. After all that's something we have all of the materials for out here in the middle of nowhere." She said.

"Hold up, I think Lucy might be onto something." Anthony said. "While we won't be able to make a perfect candle, I think we should be able to make a decent one. Candle wax is artificially made, but natural wax can be found on some plant life. If we extract that natural wax I think I could make a candle out of it." He explained.

Clifford nodded and gave Anthony a pat on the back. "Excellent idea, you lead the way since you seem to know which plants will work better for our candle." He said.

Inside the communal bathroom the Screaming Phoenix were unsure of what to do with the bar of soap answer to the previous riddle given to them, so they decided to clean the communal bathroom in hopes that would produce something of value to them.

"This place is so disgusting. Why doesn't Chef or interns ever clean it?" Ciara asked holding back gag from the stench underneath the sinks.

"The poor living quality is apparently necessary to increase our torture while living here." Zelda said.

"Well why don't we just go outside to take care of our business? That seems better than dealing with this place all the time." Johnathan suggested.

Miriam looked at him disgusted and shook her head. "You can do that if you want, but I'll stick with the disgusting communal bathroom over being exposed outdoors." She said.

As they continued to clean Aiden looked over at Ciara and Nicky who were cleaning together.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Even if Koh doesn't want my help anymore I still want to help her. I'll use this opportunity to ask Nicky and Ciara what they were doing with the interns." Aiden said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Aiden moved over next to Ciara and Nicky cleaning by where they had almost finished. "Hello ladies, seeing as how yer the only ones new to the team I just wanted to take this moment to welcome ya and maybe get to know ya a bit better too." He told them.

"Well that's nice of you." Nicky told him.

"I think it's going to be nice on this team, especially since I get to work with my new sis instead of against her. As for us, Nicky plays the violin and I play the guitar. We get along nicely due to our love of music, and we also both want to bring down Genevieve since she's behind Dante's elimination and she used Maddie to hurt Zelda." Ciara said.

"It sure is nice not to have Genevieve around anymore. She could really learn to play well with others if she wants to stick around in the game." Aiden told them.

The two girls laughed in agreement with Aiden's statement. "Part of me wishes I was still on the Killer Hydra just so I could see how Clifford and Genevieve eat each other alive. They're so incompatible." Ciara said.

"I'm glad I'm not around to see that. I do not need that kind of drama in my life right now." Nicky said.

"So how exactly did you plan to stop Genevieve if you ain't ever been on the same team as her?" Aiden asked them.

Nicky and Ciara looked at each other briefly and nodded in agreement. "We tried looking through the surveillance footage at the nearby intern campsite hoping that there would be proof that she paid off Chris to get Dante eliminated." Ciara said.

"Did ya find anything?" Aiden asked her.

"Nothing at all that we could use. I'm sure she'll slip up eventually, so it's just a matter of finding when that is." Nicky said.

"I hope it works out for ya." Aiden said. "I've really appreciated the chat." He added.

"Umm you guys, I think I found something." AJ said getting everyone's attention. The next riddle for them was hidden behind one of the communal toilets.

Miriam took the riddle that was still covered in some grease and dirt from the dirty toilets. "This is disgusting, but let's see what it says. What runs but doesn't walk, has a mouth yet still can't talk, has a head but doesn't think, has a bed but will not sleep?" She read.

"A river. It runs, has a rivermouth, a riverhead, and a riverbed." Zelda answered.

"There's a few rivers around here, but there aren't too many. Let's start at the closest one and keep moving on to the next one if we don't find anything there." Miriam said. Her team agreed, and followed her.

As they went off to the closest river, the Killer Hydra were struggling with creating a candle to solve their given puzzle. They had found some plants that Anthony could use, but he was still taking a long time synthesizing the wax for their candles.

"I thought you said that this would be easy. We've been here for ages." Genevieve complained.

"I never said that this would be easy, only that it would be possible." Anthony said. "I think that we have enough wax ready, now we just need a candle wick so we can light the wax, and some oil so that it'll burn better." He said.

"You didn't mention we would also have to create those." Clifford told him.

"Don't worry, compared to making the wax this will be a lot easier. The candle wick is usually cotton and paper since that burns easy. I have some cotton with me, and we can use paper from Tom's notepad since he always seems to carries that around. As for the oil that's the easiest part since I'm sure Genevieve's beauty products contain more than enough oil for us to work with." Anthony explained.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my products are all natural." Genevieve said.

Anthony laughed and shook his head. "I hate to be the bearer of worse news, but even all natural products have oil in them. They're never really all natural." He told her.

"We should probably hurry and finish the candle. It doesn't look like sunrise is too far away, and I'd rather not have to go through an elimination ceremony." Koh pointed out looking at the night sky.

They got to work finishing up the candle. Anthony poured the wax that he had synthesized into an empty jar and started to mix it together with the oils from Genevieve's beauty products. As he mixed that Kyoko and Tom created the candle wick by carefully wrapping paper around the cotton strands that Anthony gave them. Once they completed that task the wick was carefully inserted into the wax. Koh and Clifford started a small campfire so that the wax and oils could harden thus giving them the candle that they needed.

"So now what do we do? We made the candle, but what are we supposed to do with it?" Tom asked.

"My life can be measured in hours, I serve by being devoured. Thin, I am quick. Fat, I am slow. Wind is my foe. What am I?" Clifford repeated the riddle. While the answer is clearly a candle, I think there's a second message here. The emphasis on thin and fat along with the word devoured indicates food or eating. I say we take this candle to the mess hall and see what awaits us there." Clifford said.

They did just that and sure enough at the mess hall was their next riddle. Genevieve picked it up from the table and read it aloud. "Many have heard me, but nobody has seen me. I do not speak back until spoken to. What am I?"

"That's an echo." Kyoko answered. "There's a few caves that we could check out, but it's going to be hard to know which cave is the one with the next riddle?" She asked.

"Should we split up?" Lucy asked.

"We can save that as a last resort, but this is a logic based challenge so let's think about this logically. Chris wouldn't send us to a cave unless there was some kind of threat there. Therefore, we can assume the next riddle is going to be guarded by a bear. Let's go to the nearest bear cave and see what we can find there." Clifford said. Agreeing with his assessment, they followed him.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"This new team is already working far more efficiently than the previous one ever did. Now all that remains is to see who is expendable, and who is worth keeping around in the long term." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The river proved to have the simplest puzzle, but also the most dangerous one for the Screaming Phoenix. The next riddle was in clear view of them in a plastic bottle, but the river had been filled with piranhas making it near impossible to reach without getting bit.

"How are we supposed to get that next riddle without getting bitten by those piranhas?" AJ asked taking a step back from the river.

Miriam looked around until she saw a vine hanging from a nearby tree. "I think I can swing on this vine over the river and pick up the bottle along the way." She said.

"That's far too risky. There has to be a better way of getting the bottle that doesn't involve coming into such close contact with the piranhas." Nicky said.

"I appreciate the concern, but there isn't much time to find another solution. I'm no expert, but it looks like the sun will rise soon." Miriam told Zelda.

"But Miriam, even the smallest error here and you'll end up being attacked by a swarm of piranhas. You need to perfectly calculate every single variable of the vine swing so you can not only grab the bottle, but make it over the river in a single attempt." Zelda pointed out.

"Sorry Zelda, but we'll just have to hope I make it." Miriam said.

Before anyone else could protest any further, Miriam grabbed the vine and ran back with it to get a running start. She used the speed to thrust herself forward and jump over the river. Once she was over the bottle, Miriam took one of her hands off the vine and reached down to pick up the bottle. After the bottle was firmly in her hand, she adjusted her grip back on the vine and landed on the other side of the river rolling to lower her momentum from the vine.

"That was insane." Johnathan yelled to Miriam across the river.

Miriam laughed and shrugged it off. "It worked didn't it. Now come on let's meet back up to see where we're headed next." She yelled back.

In the bear cave, the Killer Hydra were correct and the riddle they were looking for was tucked in a bear's arm. The bear was asleep and holding the bottle tightly.

"We'll need to be very careful unless we want to wake the bear up." Kyoko said.

"Any suggestions for what we can do?" Anthony asked.

Clifford looked around, but didn't see anything. He frowned in frustration. "If it wasn't so dark in here perhaps there would be something we could use, but I can barely see as is." He said.

"If I knew another night challenge was coming, then I would've tried finishing my night vision goggles." Anthony said.

"Night vision goggles?" Clifford asked him.

"Just a side project I've been working on. I figured it would help us for darker challenges, but I didn't make it a priority since I didn't anticipate any other night challenges for a while." Anthony answered.

As they were talking, nobody noticed that Lucy went up to the bear and grabbed the bottle out of his hands. As they finally noticed what she was doing they looked at her panickingly.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to get us all maimed?" Genevieve asked Lucy.

"Relax will you. The bear is fast asleep. Come on, let's see what the next riddle is." Lucy said. As soon as they stepped outside the bear cave they heard the bear roar awake, and ran to get as far away from there as they could. Once they were safe they read the next riddle, and it was the same riddle that the Screaming Phoenix were reading at that moment.

'The challenge is ending. You've done a fine job. To find the Golden Chris you seek the beginning you must reach.' It read. Both teams raced back to the beginning of the challenge to see what was there. When they arrived back to the cabins where they started the challenge the Golden Chris bust was awaiting them on a pedestal, but it was surrounded by a series of traps such as mines, rope snares, and security lasers.

"We need to get the Golden Chris before they do." Clifford said.

"Come on, we can't lose." Miriam said.

Both teams ran to try and get the Golden Chris, but due to the fact that there were so many of them, they ended up setting off the traps. When the mines went off, it blew Lucy and Anthony back. Ciara and Zelda ended up getting stuck in the craters that were made from the mines going off. The rope snares trapped Clifford, AJ, Kyoko, Johnathan, and Nicky. From there getting past the security lasers was the toughest part. Miriam tried to go around them, but they surrounded the entire area. Koh got an idea, and used a mirror to reflect some of the lasers giving herself an opening. Aiden jumped in after her before the opening closed leaving the two of them the only ones able to get the Golden Chris.

"I'm sorry Koh, but I have to win this." Aiden told her.

"I knew you'd turn on me now that you've dropped the act." Koh said.

"We're on different teams now. What do you want me to do?" Aiden asked her. "I said I'd help you and I meant it, but I can't throw the challenge just because I do care about you." He said.

Koh thought for a moment and hid her face from Aiden's eyesight. "Just take the dumb bust and finish this challenge." She said her voice cracking as she spoke.

Aiden smiled at her and grabbed the Golden Chris Bust winning the challenge for them.

"Aiden wins it for the Screaming Phoenix." Chris announced over the loudspeaker.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I think Koh helping me win means were on good terms again. Still I've got to do something so that she doesn't get eliminated because of this." Aiden said.

 **(Switch)**

"What is it about him that makes it so hard to think clearly. I shouldn't have let him win, but part of me thinks he might actually be telling the truth about wanting to help. I hate feeling like this." Koh yelled.

 **(Confessional End)**

"That was such a weird challenge. I wonder how the tasks we had to pick were chosen." Lucy said.

At that moment Chef and Chris walked by. Chef was holding the basket of fish, the bowl of eggs, and the candle while Chris took the Golden Chris Bust from Aiden. "This is going to be the best candlelit dinner ever." Chris said.

"You mean all of that was just so that you could have a meal with your golden self?" Tom asked Chris.

"Why else would I have you do all those non-dangerous things. At least I added the bear and piranha for some real drama in the challenge." Chris said.

"Wait, but what about cleaning the communal bathroom?" Ciara asked him.

Chris shrugged and kept on walking with Chef. "That place needed a good cleaning. Might as well have you do that too." He replied.

"I will never understand how he's allowed to host this show." Zelda said in disbelief.

As the Killer Hydra walked to prepare for their elimination ceremony, Aiden caught up with them and discretely got Genevieve's attention. "I need your help with making sure Koh doesn't get eliminated." He whispered to her.

Genevieve smirked and nodded at him in agreement. She waited until Clifford and Kyoko were alone to execute her plan. "I have to say losing the first day that our new team is formed isn't that strong of a first impression Clifford." Genevieve told him.

"Unfortunately, I've started to learn the taste of failure far too much. I trust that you know who to vote for today." He said.

"Clifford if you're suggesting we vote off Koh for losing at the last moment you have a good idea, but I have a much better one." Genevieve said.

"Why should we listen to what you have to say?" Kyoko aggressively asked Clifford.

Genevieve laughed and looked at Kyoko coldly. "I was speaking with Clifford, so I'd appreciate it if his lapdog would stay quiet." She said.

"Lapdog!" Kyoko yelled. "Who are you calling a..." Kyoko yelled before Clifford rose his hand indicating he wanted her to stop talking.

"So she's a trained lapdog." Genevieve taunted.

Kyoko's face turned red with anger, but she stayed quiet trusting in Clifford. "Kyoko is my second in command. She has proven herself to be logical, intuitive, and trustworthy. There is no ally I value on the island more than her. Now, make your case and let's be done with this." He said.

"Very well." Genevieve relented. Even though Koh did lose the challenge for us, she's still very helpful. I've worked her all season and she's quite the competitor. Anthony on the other hand is not." She said.

"What do you mean?" Clifford asked her. "Without Anthony we would have never gotten as far in the challenge." He said.

"Sure, today he was helpful, but once again I've worked with him all seasons. His inventions are sub par. They constantly fail, and he's not too useful compared to Koh." Genevieve said. "We have more than enough intelligence on the team, but getting rid of Koh would diminish our physical strength." She argued.

"That is a valid argument." Clifford said.

"The decision is yours fair leader, but you know where my vote lies." Genevieve said before walking away.

"She's up to something, we can't trust her." Kyoko said.

"That much is obvious, but maybe we can turn her own plan against her. Whatever she's planning requires Koh to stay so we'll rally Koh to our side first." Clifford said.

"You aren't going to vote for Anthony are you?" Kyoko asked him.

"Kyoko do you trust me?" Clifford asked her.

Kyoko looked confused, but nodded. "Of course I do." She replied.

"Then never second guess my judgment again." Clifford said as he left Kyoko alone.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Clifford might claim Kyoko is his second in command, but it's clear he's just using her. She's reliable enough and also naive enough to not realize what he's doing. Soon I'll be usurping her spot at his side and be in the perfect position to win the game." Genevieve said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The elimination ceremony was shortly afterwards mere minutes before the sun would rise. Chris looked over the votes and was eager to see the drama that would come from them. "New team, but same old loser Hydra." Chris taunted them. When I call your name you're safe, and let me say today's elimination is going to be a fun one.

Clifford...

Tom...

Kyoko...

Those three are safe with no votes against them." Chris said.

Anthony looked nervous and confused, Genevieve sat smirking, and Lucy stood oblivious to the elimination focused on the sky as the sun would rise.

"We have one vote for Koh, one vote for Anthony, one vote for Lucy, two votes for Koh, two votes for Anthony, one vote for Genevieve. The last vote goes to.

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Anthony." Chris revealed. "You've been eliminated." He taunted.

Anthony stood surprised with his mouth wide open. "But I was really helpful today. Didn't I earn my spot on this team?" He asked.

"You were helpful today, but not too helpful in the long run." Genevieve answered him.

As Anthony was strapped onto the Pendulum of Shame for elimination, the Killer Hydra noticed that the Screaming Phoenix were all gathered around outside the cabins.

"What are you all still doing awake?" Tom asked.

"Lucy told us a while back that the sunrise on the island is the most beautiful sunrise ever. Since it's only a couple more minutes and we're up anyway we might as well see if she's right." AJ told him.

"Mind if we watch too?" Tom asked her.

"N-n-not at all." AJ answered him blushing.

They stood to watch the sunrise together, and Koh made her way next to Aiden who was by the back. "I know you had something to do with me not getting eliminated today." She told him.

Aiden put his hands behind his head and smiled. "I did say I'd help you didn't I?" He asked. "Besides, it was because of you that we won so I had to repay the favor." He said.

Koh smiled and moved closer to him. "How about one last riddle Aiden. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?" She asked him.

"I don't know. Zelda took care of our riddles, and I'm glad she did because I'm terrible at them." Aiden laughed.

"The answer is a secret. You trusted me with your secret so I'll trust you with mine. I came to the island looking for revenge. My parents were killed when I was a baby. I was basically raised by a street gang. It's thanks to them however that I have inside information telling me someone connected to that murder is on the island. At first I thought it was an intern but ever since the Calista file showed up with the other contestant files, maybe it's a contestant who's involved. I don't know why but the name Calista always meant something to me. Something I couldn't figure out. Now that the files are gone it confirms my suspicion. Calista must be connected to one of the contestants, and they're connected to my parent's murder." Koh told him.

Aiden stood shocked. A moment of silence passed before he put his hand on Koh's shoulder comfortingly. "No wonder it was so personal for you. Well you don't have to worry about Nicky or Ciara. I talked to them and they were just looking for evidence that Genevieve eliminated Dante." He told her. "Hey, I think the sun is starting to rise. Lucy was right, it does look beautiful." He said. As they watched the sun rise a realization hit Koh.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"It all fits together. She was on the dock last night since she said the crate wasn't there. That's the same spot I found this USB that someone tried to dispose of. She takes constant walks at night where nobody will see her, so that's how she deleted the files. She keeps to herself, doesn't have any real friends, doesn't talk to anyone, and is always writing in that diary of hers. Then there's the nightmares that she's been having. You might have escaped the trial for your murder last time, but you won't get away again." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

As the sun rose in the sky and everyone was captured by it's beauty, Koh pushed her way past the crowd and tackled Lucy to the ground. She quickly restrained her and put her in handcuffs on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Miriam asked Koh.

"What I came here to do." Koh yelled back. "Lucina von Richter, you're under arrest, and you aren't getting away this time." Koh said. Lucy could only scream in pain as Koh put more force and kept her on the ground while everyone watched unsure of what to do.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro: The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

18\. Brett Drake: The Powerhouse Man

17\. Dante Valverde: The Overprotective and Overbearing Older Brother

16\. Maximilian Brooks: The Lucky Guy

15\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines: The Small Pyromaniac

14\. Anthony Sterling: The Ambitious Inventor

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Clifford, Kyoko, Koh, Genevieve, Tom, and Lucy

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Zelda, Johnathan, Ciara, Aiden, Miriam, AJ and Nicky

 **Apologies to Beastboycoolman15 for Anthony's elimination. I think Anthony is the last character who I have some major regrets with. When I first accepted him I had in mind a friendship between him and Zelda as they would be drawn to each other intellectually. I considered pairing him with either Zelda or Kyoko at first with both girl's creative and intellectual minds being a good fit for Antony's inventive nature. In the end however I went with Sarah since she was also a good fit for Anthony, and I felt out of the three she made the most interesting match. Rather than just being a good fit intellectually and creatively, I also thought Sarah's personality complimented Anthony's well. I also went with her as my plans for Kyoko and Zelda changed over time. After rushing their relationship and eliminating Sarah however, I was left stuck with what to do with Anthony. First I considered a revenge subplot against Dante since he eliminated Sarah, but Dante had too much on his plate as is. I tried to pick up on his friendship with Zelda, but she likewise already had too much going on so I never fit in time for it. I tried to make his inventions stand out, but I feel over time they kind of turned into single gimmicks rather than memorable moments. In the end I knew he didn't have enough going on to make it to the merge. Hopefully he'll at least be remembered for his tragic elimination where he got stabbed in the back by his new team. With Anthony gone, that's the last of the "filler" characters and I think I've been handling the remaining 13 well.**

* * *

 **A/N: Lesson learned I need to stop promising deadlines because I think I have broken that promise every single time. To make a long story short I've been job searching since I had to leave my old job when I went traveling. Let's just say it hasn't gone too well. Getting a job isn't a top priority for me since I live with my parents, but I do want to help them out as much as I can with bills and rent. I've spent quite a bit of time looking for something and that's what's behind the delays. But that's enough about me, let's get to what everyone cares about here, the story.**

 **This was an interesting chapter to write. A lot of it is actually a rewrite thanks to a great reader and OC submitter ninjedi. They suggested some ideas for how to balance the teams since there was such a huge gap between them. That idea helped me out a lot since I was stuck with figuring out how to do the elimination, and even the challenge didn't feel satisfying with how uneven the teams were before. Some rewrites later to adjust for this change and we now have some crazy new dynamics to work with. I think this will make everything much better moving forward. Thanks a lot for this ninjedi. I'm glad you're still reading, and also glad that you like what I'm doing with Nicky.**

 **There's not much to say about the chapter itself as it is rather straightforward. I knew I wanted to do another night challenge at some point, and I felt this was the best time as it leads directly into the next chapter. That last moment of the sun rising and Koh restraining Lucy is something that seemed beautiful in my head. The challenge itself wasn't too interesting, but I don't think it was boring either. I'm starting to realize that writing challenges is a weak point in my writing so I'm going to try to get better at that. Maybe put more details into it or something to make them stand out more. Let me know what you think about how the challenges have been so far and what I can do to make them better.**

 **As for character developments there's a lot more going on there. A lot of it is a result of the new teams. Kyoko and Clifford may get into some conflict of ideologies regarding Genevieve and working with her. It's the logic versus emotion that I mentioned earlier. Genevieve is in a much better place now that she's safe from Zelda and Miriam. Koh and Aiden have been separated, and Lucy is gathering a lot of suspicion around her. Just what is she hiding. The new teams won't be around for that long, but they already mixed up the game quite a lot and will definitely change things moving forward.**

 **Finally, the last thing to discuss is a question that keeps popping up in my PMs. That being when is the merge coming? I've been teasing it for a few chapters now, but because of how long it's been taking to get chapters done it feels longer than it's really been. We only have 13 contestants left, so after the next elimination we will be down to 12. That is half of our cast. Therefore, I'll go ahead and confirm that the next chapter will be the last chapter before the merge. I know it's taken a long time to get here, but we are finally about to hit the halfway point of the story. Go ahead and leave your predictions for who will be the lucky ones making it to the merge. I sincerely doubt that anyone will get it 100% correct since that would require some inside information to my plans, but I'm interested in your guesses and reasoning for merge cast. I've learned after failing so much to stop making promises, so instead I'll say that I hope to have the next chapter in a week or by the end of the month latest if all goes well. If it takes longer than that I apologize in advance, but I reiterate that we will finish this story no matter how long it takes. Reaching the merge already puts me further than 90% of TD SYOC fics.**


	16. The Trial of Lucina Von Ricther

**Review Responses**

 _ **LaViolaViolaRosa-**_ Your excitement always makes me eager to start writing the next chapter. I hope that the payoff for this is well worth the wait since I know the anticipation is murder.

 _ **Eternal Nexus Warrior-**_ Thank you so much for enjoying what I've done with Kyoko. I know she was in the background a lot during the beginning of the story, but I've really made her shine recently. Her partnership with Clifford may have started over a mutual love of art, but it's grown to a shared sense of respect for the other. We'll have to see how Genevieve messes with that respect. Always eager to see your still reading.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ You'd think the fact that Lucy is my OC means that she'd be hogging the spotlight, but it's taken time for her to get a real focus. Anthony probably did last longer than he should have when he wasn't too useful to the plot. Wish I could have done more, but you learn with each attempt. Glad you liked the challenge even if it was in the background, and thanks for being so understanding about how long these take sometimes.

 _ **Nikolai777-**_ You make a fair point about the recap. Nobody had any complaints about it being split up, so I can continue doing that. The focus was high on Koh this chapter, but it's justifiable as she's the center of the Calista arc. With that arc reaching it's climax it's only natural she'd get a focus. You bring up a good point about Zelda, Ciara, and Nicky. Let me assure you that trio will get a focus when the merge comes, so just a minor wait. After all, all three girls have a vendetta against Genevieve so it'd be foolish to ignore them. Good to see the interactions are working for you. Interactions are my strongest point in writing, so they resonate well.

Moving on from your praise to your criticism, let me address a few of them. First I admit that the candle riddle was a bit hard to believe. I tried to make it work, but looking back I could have done it a better way, or done something else instead. Second in regard to Anthony's elimination and Clifford's role in it allow me to explain. Clifford knows that Genevieve is up to something with Koh. Kyoko knows that Genevieve can't be trusted. Where they disagree however is on what to do about Genevieve. Kyoko wants to get rid of her, while Clifford feels he can beat her at her own game. Clifford went along with eliminating Anthony because in his mind keeping Genevieve and pretending to trust her will benefit him more than eliminating her. It's his own hubris that led him to vote with Genevieve rather than listen to Kyoko's advice. I hope that's a bit more clear now. Secondly there's the major complaint about Koh attacking Lucy for something she mathematically couldn't have done. That'll be addressed in this chapter, but you're absolutely right. Koh isn't thinking straight and her anger is more powerful than her logic. Hope that now some of the clownish actions taken last time make more sense. I also want to point out the actions taken aren't always the best one. You're right the best choice would be voting out Genevieve, but Clifford isn't taking the easy option in this game. Thanks as always for the feedback, criticism, and passion for the story.

* * *

Last time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. Tension rose between Aiden and Koh after Aiden revealed that he wasn't actually a cowboy, and had just been acting like a southern gentlemen. To make matters worse for them, the teams got reformed. With new teammates, new alliances, and new schemes, it was a brand new game with the same old pain.

Once the teams were adjusted to their fresh new start it was off to solve some riddles. While the riddles themselves were no challenge for genius Zelda, or intuitive Clifford, the true challenge was in what followed. Whether it be AJ trying to sneak into the kitchen and take eggs from Chef, Anthony trying to come up with a way to make a candle, Miriam swinging across a piranha infested river, or Lucy swiping from a sleeping bear there was no shortage of risks being taken. It was a close finish, but in the end the Screaming Phoenix took the win after Koh relented and accepted her feelings for Aiden. Too bad for Anthony this put his on the pendulum ride home after Genevieve schemed, and Clifford followed along for now.

What was more shocking than either the challenge or the elimination was Koh's act of desperation. As the contestants enjoyed a peaceful sunrise Koh pieced together what seemed to be the perfect answer to the mystery she's been chasing after. Wasting no time she tackled Lucy and forcibly restrained her to the ground. What's in store for Lucy next? Is Koh leaping to conclusions? How will everyone else react to this? Find out right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Johnathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

As Koh continued to forcibly restrain Lucy on the ground, everyone watched unsure of what to do. There were various expressions around the group such as Nicky's mortified look, AJ covering her eyes in fear, Clifford observing the scene cautiously, and Aiden watching concerned for Koh's safety.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm not going to lie, it was painful seeing what Koh did to Lucy." Ciara said.

 **(Switch)**

"I know I should've stepped in to help, but I'm ashamed to admit I was paralyzed by fear." Zelda said keeping her head down.

 **(Switch)**

"One wrong move and Koh could have turned on us. It was all so sudden, and yet it seemed to go on forever." Tom said writing in his journal.

 **(Confessional End)**

At long last, the tense scene before them was broken by a shout. "Alright, that's enough." Miriam yelled as she approached Koh.

Koh kept her eyesight on Lucy and continued to restrain her. "Stay out of this." Koh threatened. "It doesn't concern any of you." She said.

"I don't think I made myself clear. I said that's enough." Miriam repeated. She grabbed Koh's arm and violently pulled it off Lucy. Koh tried to maintain a strong grip on Lucy, but was unable to do so with the pressure Miriam applied. Koh staggered back slightly as she was pulled off Lucy completely, and stared down Miriam. Miriam glared back at her and kept her guard up prepared for any move that Koh might make.

Before the two girls could continue their confrontation, Jonathan stepped in and grabbed Koh from behind while Zelda worked to restrain Miriam. "Let's settle down and talk this through." Zelda said as she struggled to keep Miriam in place.

"I don't get why you're holding me back, Koh was the one who started this mess when she went insane and attacked Lucy." Miriam argued.

Zelda applied more pressure to her hold as Miriam continued to struggle. "That may be true Miriam, but you aren't exactly in a calm state either. I suggest we all take a breather and relax." She said.

"Will you all stop getting in my way!" Koh yelled out. She pushed her elbow back into Johnathan's chest roughly. With his balance thrown off, his grip on Koh lessened and she was easily able to push her way out.

Lucy was still on the ground recovering from Koh's violent assault. She sat up, but there was not much else she could do as she was out of breath and still in handcuffs. Koh moved towards her once more, but nearly all the remaining contestants formed a protective circle around her as she moved closer.

"K-k-k-Koh what's wrong w-w-with you?" AJ asked petrified with fear.

Genevieve laughed as she stood to the side observing. "What more did we expect from a lowlife thug such as herself?" She asked.

Koh growled at Genevieve, but ignored her as she continued heading to Lucy. "None of you understand what's going on right now. If you knew the whole story then you wouldn't be protecting her." She said.

"Then why don't you tell us the whole story?" Clifford asked her. "If you wish to prove to us that you aren't acting irrationally then please enlighten us as to what Lucy did to deserve this." He said.

"That's a personal matter." Koh responded. "I've already said it doesn't concern any of you so let me finish what I started." She said.

"Maybe whatever this is started personal for you, but not anymore." Kyoko said. "When you go crazy attacking one of us you bring all of us into this." She said.

Koh laughed hysterically and shook her head. "Unbelievable!" She shouted. "You all go the entire season letting Dante threaten and attack whoever he wants with no repercussions at all. Now when I _justifiably_ go after Lucy you want to pretend what I'm doing is wrong." She said.

"Don't you dare compare yourself to him." Ciara shouted back to Koh. "Dante made a lot of mistakes, but he never hurt anyone the way you just hurt Lucy." She said.

Genevieve smirked once more at the scene unfolding. "Let's also not forget about what caused the poor ruffian's elimination. Any violence against other contestants is forbidden by the new rules. Of course you didn't forget that did you Koh. You threw away your shot at the game once Chris hears about what you just did and you don't even care." She laughed.

"You're right for once Genevieve, I don't care that I'll be disqualified for what I did to Lucy. What I'm after is bigger than this game, and much more valuable to me than a million dollars ever would be." Koh said.

"If you care about this that much, then just tell us what it is." Aiden yelled to her. He walked up to her slowly and held her hands in an attempt to calm her down. "Please Koh let's end all of this." He choked out trying his hardest to stay in character. "Just talk to us. No matter how personal this is for you surely talking about it is better than all of this fighting." He said.

Koh looked at Aiden as signs of tears filled his eyes. She sighed and tossed the keys to the handcuffs she placed on Lucy over to Kyoko. "Fine we can talk in the Mess Hall, but don't release her until after you've heard what I have to say." Koh said. Kyoko nodded and they walked to the Mess Hall.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I don't know what it was, but seeing Aiden so hurt by what I was doing hurt me somehow. I need to stay focused, but I don't know how I can as long as he's around me. When did I start feeling this way when I barely tolerated him in the past." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"So much for our beautiful sunrise." Ciara told Zelda.

"Not to mention getting any sleep tonight." Zelda replied.

As the two girls laughed, Miriam cleared her throat to get Zelda's attention. "You can let go of me now." She said.

Zelda blushed and let Miriam go from the hold she had on her. "I'm sorry Miriam, I kinda forgot that I was still holding onto you since you stopped struggling." She said.

"I have to say you have an insanely good grip. You aren't hiding some strength to match your smarts are you?" Miriam asked her.

"Not really. Dante and my father insisted I take some self-defense and martial arts classes. Holds were always a bit easy for me. I could teach you sometime after we take care of this Koh and Lucy mess." Zelda said.

Miriam smiled and shook Zelda's hand. "I'll take you up on that offer. Now we'd better get going if we want to resolve this in time to get some sleep." She said.

Inside the Mess Hall the tension had not reduced in the slightest. All eyes were on Koh who's glare had not left Lucy.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I didn't know where to begin with this. What do I tell them? How much do I tell them? It wasn't easy, but I had to get my side known." Koh said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Koh took a deep breath and began her story. "I'll start with why I came to this game. It wasn't for the money like most of you, I came here with a clear purpose. I'm part of a street gang and I'm here for revenge. Revenge against someone involved with the death of my parents." She told them.

"I don't see what Lucy has to do with any of that." Kyoko told her.

Koh shook her head in response. "I didn't at first either, but the pieces of the puzzle fell into place recently. I found files on all the contestants including a mystery player named Calista, but those files were recently deleted. I had a few suspects going around, all people I saw sneaking around the intern site where the files were kept. In the end though Lucy here fit the bill perfectly. She was sneaking around at the camp, wandered to the dock at night exactly where I found this USB. There's also the fact that she has a criminal past, keeps her distance from everyone, and is always writing away in that diary of hers." Koh said.

"You do realize that all of that is circumstantial evidence don't you?" Zelda asked Koh.

"Do you have a better explanation for what happened to the files?" Koh asked back. "Or perhaps you can you explain Lucy's suspicious and solitary nature." She added.

Zelda rubbed the back of her head trying to think. "Perhaps I can't explain it, but just because your answer is the best one at the moment doesn't make it the correct one. I'm sure there's plenty of holes in your theory if we look for more information." She said.

"There is no more information, and if there is Lucy has made sure to get rid of it." Koh said.

"I haven't done anything." Lucy blurted out.

"Wait, if Koh's whole argument is that you're hiding stuff in your diary then why not just let her read it so she'll let you go." Johnathan pointed out.

Lucy shrunk down in her seat and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't let anyone read my diary. There's things in there that are just too close to my heart. It's nothing like what Koh is saying, but I just couldn't bear to let anyone else read it." She choked out her eyes filled with tears.

"You see what I mean! If she wasn't hiding anything she wouldn't be so defensive!" Koh yelled.

"It's only natural that anyone would be defensive if they were attacked so aggressive as you did." Tom pointed out.

"So you're on her side are you?" Koh asked.

"Koh please calm down." AJ whispered so softly it could barely be heard.

"Hey, let's not attack Koh either." Aiden said. "She did open up to us so that proves she's willing to work with us." Aiden said.

"Don't tell me you're actually defending her Aiden." Ciara said.

The Mess Hall erupted into loud arguing back and forth as the commotion grew. Things were quickly growing out of control with nearly everyone trying to defend Lucy, but yelling over each other. Eventually Genevieve broke the arguments and grabbed everyone's attention by banging two pots from the kitchen next to each other repeatedly.

"Not the finest way I could've gotten everyone's attention, but it's clear we are getting nowhere with this disorganized disaster. What we need is to hold a proper trial with an objective judge. Who else but myself would fit that role so I officially proclaim the beginning of the trial of Lucina von Richter." She said.

Everyone looked at Genevieve blankly. "You can't be serious princess." Miriam blankly said. "I know you like to think you're better than us, but there's no time for us to satisfy your ego trip." She said.

"Actually, I believe that Genevieve has the right idea. A trial is much more organized than this constant back and forth arguing. Furthermore, she is the most unbiased informed party here as she has had ample interactions with both Koh and Lucy yet cares for neither party." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"What is he doing?" Kyoko asked in shock. "It was one thing to work with her in the elimination last night, but now he's going along with her crazy idea to have a trial. I know he said not to question his judgment and I do trust him, but I hope he's doing the right thing." She said.

 **(Switch)**

"It's clear Koh's claims weren't backed by any hard evidence so the trial was just a formality. Still as we continue to go further in the game the less people that are willing to work together the better for me and my alliance. If holding this trial will spread enough distrust among the remaining players then it will suit my needs well enough. I'm sure Genevieve is thinking the same." Clifford explained.

 **(Confessional End)**

The Mess Hall was slightly reorganized to form a makeshift courtroom. Genevieve stood at the front with Lucy sitting next to her. Koh was the clear choice to act as the prosecution in this trial, and Zelda had volunteered to work as Lucy's defense. The rest of the contestants stood in the back acting as the jury. Unlike a real trial however they were nothing more than observers.

"The honorable judge Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire has arrived. You may be seated as we begin." Genevieve said.

"Wait don't I get some time to consult with Lucy before we start?" Zelda asked. "If I'm going to be acting as her defense, then I think I need to be better prepared." She pointed out.

Genevieve banged on her podium. "Your plea is denied. If you wanted to consult with the accused you should have done it before the trial started." She said.

"When would I have done that?" Zelda asked. "You just announced we were having a trial a few minutes ago." She said.

"Are you questioning my authority?" Genevieve asked threateningly.

"Not at all." Zelda muttered.

At the jury box Ciara leaned over to Nicky. "She's not even taking this seriously, and this was her idea." She said.

"Did you honestly expect anything else from her?" Tom asked leaning over as well.

"Why are we putting up with this?" Nicky asked.

"At least it's better than the back and forth arguing." AJ chimed in.

Genevieve banged on her podium once more and glared towards the jury. "Will the jury be silent so that we may begin." She yelled. "Or do I need to have you escorted out by the bailiff?" She asked.

"You didn't appoint one of those." Miriam dully pointed out.

Genevieve scowled before pointing to Johnathan. "You, whatever your name is you will be our bailiff." She said.

Johnathan stood up and moved over next to Genevieve. "We've been on the same team since the game started, but you don't know my name?" He asked her.

"You've done nothing of lasting impact in this game, and this is the second time we've ever spoken." Genevieve said. "Why would you expect me to remember your name?" She asked.

"If we could get this over with I would greatly appreciate it." Koh dryly complained.

Genevieve nodded and banged on her podium. "Let the trial officially commence. Zelda Valverde when you are ready you may present your defense." She said.

"My defense? Shouldn't Koh go first so that I know what I'm even defending Lucy from?" Zelda asked.

Genevieve rolled her eyes at Zelda. "I thought you were the genius here. She's accused of deleting files, destroying evidence, being associated with a murder, and holding countless secrets in her diary. Were you or were you not paying the slightest attention to Koh's story." She said.

Zelda gulped and nervously adjusted her glasses. "Right, well as I said earlier Koh's evidence is all circumstantial. The fact that she was at the intern camp isn't proof she deleted the files. The fact that she was by the docks isn't proof she disposed of that USB, the fact that she's keeps to herself and writes in her diary isn't proof that she's hiding some dark secret. Koh has no hard evidence at all." She said.

"Valid points." Genevieve said. "Koh feel free to ask the accused any questions you want for more information. A friendly reminder Lucina the less you cooperate the more suspicious you appear." She said.

Koh stood over Lucy menacingly as she prepared her questions. "I'll ask two very simple questions. What were you doing at the intern camp the other day, and what were you doing at the docks the other night?" Koh asked.

Lucy kept her head down, and her voice was filled with pain. "I already said last challenge that I like to take walks to clear my mind. I was just going for a walk. Since my nightmares keep me awake I'm often walking so I don't keep any of the other girls awake." She answered.

"I can verify that." Zelda said. "I haven't slept much either since the incident with my dog, and I've seen Lucy leave to go on walks. I even spent some time talking with her before the challenge we just finished." She said.

"But have you followed her on those walks?" Koh asked. "Can you prove she's just going out to clear her mind and isn't up to anything else?" She asked.

"Well no..." Zelda stammered. "But how do you explain Lucy finding out about there being contestant files including one on this so called Calista?" She asked Koh.

"I knew about Calista." Lucy timidly said. "I overheard Koh and Aiden talking about her once, but that's all I know." She said.

Koh's intense glare returned as she formed a fist. "So you're finally admitting that you're guilty in all of this." She said.

"Enough Koh!" Kyoko yelled out from the jury. "The fact that Lucy admitted she knew about Calista shows she's not trying to hide stuff from us. She's being honest when she says she had nothing to do with this." She yelled.

"I don't remember allowing the jury to speak." Genevieve yelled as she viciously banged on her podium.

"Who cares what you think, this whole trial is a joke because Lucy isn't hiding anything." Ciara said.

Lucy stood up and as soon as she did tears flooded her face. "Please stop the arguing. Stop the fighting. I'm not worth it. If Koh want's to think I did all of this then I guess I did, but I don't want anymore fighting over me." She strained herself to say.

"Well that sounds like a confession to me." Genevieve said.

Before Genevieve could bang on her podium to end the trial, Aiden stood up. "Wait a minute, we still have another suspect in this case to interrogate." He said.

"She already confessed, why drag this out." Genevieve said.

"Because we still don't know why you were at the intern campsite Genevieve. Koh and I saw you there paying off an intern no less. What is it that you're hiding?" He asked her.

Genevieve's mouth hung open in shock and it took her a moment to properly compose herself. "You saw that." She blurted out. "I can't believe I let myself be caught in such a pitiful state. It's disgraceful and humiliating." She said.

"I knew it!" Ciara yelled. "You payed off the producers to eliminate Dante, and now you're paying off the interns to either keep quiet or to do more favors for you in the game." She said.

Genevieve stormed towards Ciara and stared her down. "You have no idea what you're talking about. I am Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire. I do not need to pay my way towards victory or rig the game in my favor." She said.

"Then why don't you tell us why you were paying the interns. If you don't have anything to hide then you can be honest." Aiden snapped back.

"I am not the one on trial here Lucina is." Genevieve shouted. "You had best watch your tone with me if you don't want your secret to be revealed as well cowboy." Genevieve said adding extra sarcasm on the word cowboy.

"This is bigger than me." Aiden said dropping his accent. "You want to tell everyone that I'm not a cowboy, and I'm just an actor go ahead. I've proven my acting skills that I don't care if I have to drop the act." He told her.

There were a few gasps heard around at Aiden's revelation. "You're not a real cowboy?" Johnathan asked surprised.

"That does explain why he wanted to be goalie when we played Sportsball." Miriam pointed out.

"I suspected that something was off about him, but since he was on the other team I was never able to closely observe him." Clifford said.

"This has been the largest waste of time in my life!" Koh yelled getting attention back to her. "I should've taken her off the island so she could pay for her crimes long ago, but because you all wanted to her side. You dragged out this pointless trial that has gotten us nowhere, and you've wasted my time." She yelled.

Lucy stepped slowly towards Koh and extended her hand out. "I've already taken responsibility for the files. If you need someone to direct your hate to, then I don't mind being that person. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you." She said.

Koh smacked Lucy's hand away and began to break down in tears herself. "This isn't about some stupid files, this is about the fact that you helped take my parents away. I never got to meet them because of you, and now I can finally bring you to justice." She said.

"Wait, what do you mean you didn't get to meet your parents because of Lucy." Zelda cautiously asked.

"I already told you that my street gang gave me information that someone connected to my parent's killer was on the island. They died when I was barely born and I never met them. Given all the clues I've found that person is Lucy." She said.

Genevieve smacked her forehead in frustration. "I cannot deal with this level of foolishness. How about some basic math for you Koh, even assuming Lucy is three years older than you, she'd be a toddler at the eldest. What toddler could possibly commit murder or assist in a murder. Furthermore, Lucina's criminal past happened when she was twelve that's several years after your parents reported murder and completely unrelated given you did not know who she was before the game began. You've wasted my time, the time of everyone here, and frankly made a fool out of yourself.. As judge I Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire proclaim Lucina von Richter innocent, and proclaim Koh Lewandoski a complete and udder fool." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I-I-I I never stopped to consider her age in all of this. Genevieve is right, it can't be Lucy. What have I just put her though." Koh said mentally berating herself.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Hold on one moment." Clifford blurted out.

"What now." Tom complained.

"There's still several loose ends here. Even if Lucy is unrelated to the murder, she still could have deleted the files for her own reasons. She's still hiding a lot in the diary of hers. Furthermore, Genevieve has not explained her reason for paying off interns. Aiden has apparently been lying to everyone this entire time. Koh still has not received her vengeance. This trial has revealed quite the amount of deceit on the island. I believe if we continue we will only encounter more layers to what is going on." He said.

Clifford's claims were mostly ignored as everyone walked out of the Mess Hall. "It's over Clifford, now let's try to get some rest because knowing Chris he's been watching us argue and is going to hold some crazy challenge while we're all tired." Miriam said.

Koh awkwardly took the handcuffs off Lucy and walked away before Lucy could speak to her any further. As they walked back to the cabin Lucy ran in to the front of them.

"Zelda, Miriam, Ciara, Nicky, Kyoko, Tom, and AJ I wanted to thank all of you for standing up for me." She told them. "You didn't have to do that, and I'm not sure why you did because I'm not worth your kindness, but thank you." She told them.

"You've kept a bit of distance from us, but as far as I'm concerned you're a friend I have on this island. I'd gladly do it again." Zelda told her.

"Yeah, now come on and smile." Miriam told her. "You're always one of the happiest people here so let's see that smile you're known for." She said. Lucy looked away for a brief moment, before putting on a smile once more.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Koh, Clifford, and Genevieve were right about one thing, I am lying to everyone. It's something I want to tell them after what they did for me, but I just don't know how. Maybe I'll have the courage to show them my diary, but until then I'll keep hiding behind my fake smile." Lucy said.

 **(Confessional End)**

While the contestants thought their troubles would be over until the next challenge, they were soon disturbed by a loud explosion from across the island. They looked to see smoke in the distance.

"That's coming from the intern's campsite." Koh said.

"This is either a challenge from Chris, or something really bad is happening. Either way I think the best thing for us to do is to go see what's happening." Kyoko said.

"So much for rest." Tom muttered. AJ giggled at his comment causing him to smile. "Since we're not getting any rest you want to catch up. It's been a while since we've talked due to being on different teams." He told her.

"I'd lo-love that." AJ said smiling at him.

When they arrived at the intern campsite the place was completely trashed. There were ripped papers, broken computers, and even a few injured interns lying on the ground unconscious.

"What could have happened here?" Nicky asked.

One of the unconscious interns groaned slightly as he began to regain consciousness. Opening his eyes he saw the contestants standing around nearby. "You have to get out of here before she comes back." He warned them. Before anyone could question what he was talking about, the intern collapsed once more and fell back into his unconscious state.

"This is probably just a challenge like what happened with the evil spirit right?" AJ timidly asked.

"I don't think so." Koh said. "Chris might not care for his interns, but he wouldn't do something like this. He tortures us for high ratings, there's nothing to gain from this setup." She said.

Suddenly, their attention was drawn to a loud beeping noise and red light coming from one of the trashed computers.

"Should we answer that?" Tom asked.

Koh nodded and they walked to the computer as the transmission started. On the other end was a female intern, and in the background Chris could be heard shouting. "Will you be quiet." She yelled at Chris. She turned to see her transmission went through, and smiled at the contestants. "Well it seems you've answered my call. It's about time we handle business." She said.

"Who are you?" Koh asked her.

"I'm sure you already know who I am. I'm the reason you came to the game after all." She said.

"So you're Calista?" Aiden asked the intern.

She laughed, but smiled evilly. "Well that's one possible answer, but to keep this simple I'll accept it. Now allow me to be blunt, I signed up to be an intern for this stupid game as a way to avoid capture. Little did I know my perfect opportunity would come when an air headed heiress signed up to compete." She said.

"Watch how you speak of me or you will painfully regret it. It was painfully disgraceful that you were able to blackmail me earlier, but you will not be getting anything else from me." Genevieve said.

"So Genevieve was paying you off the other day." Aiden pieced together.

"That she did." Calista said. "For someone who talks so much, it was so easy to take advantage of her. I was content with blackmailing her for the rest of the game, but why do that when I can have a much bigger plan. As you may have heard Chris is currently in my captivity. As for Chef he's been taken care of on the island. If you want the game to continue as normal then Genevieve will have her family pay off the legal system to pardon me of all my crimes." She explained.

Genevieve looked uninterested and walked away from the computer. "I've said you will not get anything else from me, or do you have difficulty listening. I've taken the necessary steps since our last encounter to ensure you can't blackmail me any further. As for the game, why should I care if it ends prematurely. I've had plenty of fun already with these people." She said.

"I thought you might be difficult, so I've acquired a backup plan. That explosion that lured you all here was a warning. If I don't get my demands met in the next hour, then I will detonate several more scattered around the island. I doubt any of you will survive the damage." Calista threatened. "Of course, I'll be safe from it all thanks to the yacht that Genevieve gave Chris at the start of the season. Once again I'm thanking her for all my success." She added.

As soon as Calista finished speaking, the transmission cut off leaving them with a blank computer screen. The contestants looked at each other all a bit unsure of what to do.

"I signed up for this game to win a million dollars, I did not need to get wrapped up in Koh's criminal history." Miriam complained.

"I never wanted to drag any of you into this. If I had just stayed calm instead of jumping to conclusions and attacking Lucy then we might not be in this mess right now." Koh admitted. She sat down and covered her face with her hands in defeat.

Lucy went over at sat next to Koh giving her a hug. "Don't beat yourself up Koh I didn't exactly make myself out to be someone who wasn't suspicious. But if I know you like I think I do, then you aren't the type of person who would give up. Don't let Calista win when we can still fight." She said.

"I hate to be the downer after that admittedly emotional speech, but how exactly can we fight when we don't know where Calista is, we don't have Chef to help us, and there's the threat of bombs around the island that could go off at any moment." Tom said.

"There has to be something that we can do." AJ said.

"We need to get our priorities straight." Clifford said. "I suggest we separate into three groups. One of us will be tasked with attempting to locate and disarm the bombs on the island. The second group will be sent to locate Chef since he is still on the island itself. Lastly the third group will take the fight directly to Calista since stopping her ends this ordeal." He suggested.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"My aim may still be to spread distrust, but for the time being it's in our best interest to work together. We've all been roped into this battle, and if we wish to survive so the game may continue then cooperation is inevitable." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Nicky, did Maddie ever teach you anything about explosives when you were together?" Zelda asked her.

Nicky shook her head. "We talked about a lot, but never explosives. Besides, Gonzo was the explosives expert Maddie was more of a pyromaniac." She said.

Ciara snapped her fingers as an idea came to her. "What if the bombs that Calista is threatening us with are Gonzo's bombs that he left before his elimination. I doubt Calista could make her own while she's pretending to be an intern, but she could have information on where Gonzo left them." She said.

"Didn't Maddie use those to destroy the evil spirit?" Johnathan asked.

"Not all of them, but she did show me where they were hidden. I can take Zelda and Ciara so we can try to disarm them." Nicky offered.

Koh nodded and the three of them departed to take care of Calista's bomb threat. "We'll need a versatile team if we're going to locate Chef. I nominate myself, Miriam, Kyoko, Tom, and AJ." Clifford said.

"That sounds like a good idea. It'll leave Koh, Aiden, Genevieve, Johnathan, and Lucy to take down Calista." Miriam said.

Koh shook her head viciously in disagreement. "I should go after Calista myself. I've already caused enough problems that I don't want any of you involved anymore." She said.

"Well, it seems that the thug does have a heart." Genevieve taunted.

"Hate to break it to you Koh, but we're already involved since Calista is targeting all of us." Lucy told her. "I'm the last person who should be giving advice about letting others in, but let us help you. It's not like we can make things worse." She said.

"Lucy's right Koh." Aiden said. "Whether you like it or not we're here to help you end this." He said.

Koh nodded and smiled genuinely for the first time in a while. "Calista thinks she's smart, but she didn't encrypt her signal. I can track it from this computer, and then we'll know where she is." She said.

"How are we supposed to get to her even if we do track her? She's on the yacht I gave Chris." Genevieve pointed out.

Koh grinned and flipped her hair. "I have a plan to take care of that." She said.

"Chris had better give us a week off from challenges after we save him and the show." Aiden said.

"Please knowing him we'll be lucky to get any thanks at all." Koh snarked. The pair laughed together, and promptly got to work on tracking Calista's signal.

The three groups worked to accomplish their given task as soon as possible since the sooner this was taken care of, the sooner the game could get back on track. Zelda, Ciara, and Nicky went around the island collecting the bombs so Calista couldn't threaten them any longer. Unfortunately, this wasn't an easy task.

"How many of these things did that maniac leave?" Zelda asked irritably.

"He wasn't a maniac, he was just... a little eccentric." Nicky said.

Ciara and Zelda both looked at Nicky flatly. "You aren't defending him just because he's besties with your girlfriend are you?" Ciara asked her.

Nicky blushed and diverted the girls from her eyesight. "Of course not, I'm just saying that calling Gonzo a maniac is a bit harsh. Similar things have been said about Maddie, and if it isn't fair to call her a maniac then it isn't fair to call him one either." She answered.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I'm not going to pretend that Gonzo was my friend while he was on the island, but if Maddie taught me one thing it's don't judge a book by it's cover. I thought she was a crazy pyromaniac, and while that's still kind of true she's so much more than just that. I'm sure Gonzo is the same if we get to know him better." Nicky said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well maniac or not, I do have to admit he's a genius with this stuff. We've only uncovered a few of these, and each one is more intricate than the last." Zelda said.

Ciara looked at the mess of parts that Zelda was holding with a confused expression on her face. "Are you sure these are bombs?" She asked Zelda. "I thought bombs were like dynamite or TNT." She said.

Zelda shook her head in response, and began to take apart one of the bombs they collected. "Bomb is a very vague term because it can be used to describe pretty much any explosive device. Several household items can be turned into bombs with the right tools and the right knowledge. Gonzo was able to make these so fast before his elimination and scatter them on the island because he knew exactly what he was doing." She explained.

"Well the sooner we take care of them the less power Calista has over us." Nicky said.

"That's the part I don't quite understand. Gonzo may not be as much of a maniac as we thought because looking at this closer it's clear these can't be detonate unless someone manually does so on the island. He hid them for fun, but never planned for most of them to be used. There's no way for Calista to detonate them all remotely like she's threatening." Zelda said.

"So then she's bluffing?" Ciara asked.

Zelda adjusted her glasses in thought. "She could be bluffing... or..." Zelda said. Her eyes soon widened as a realization hit her. "Or she's not working alone." She said. As soon as Zelda finished speaking, the three girls were knocked unconscious and carried away by mysterious assailants.

Elsewhere on the island, Clifford's group was not making progress locating Chef.

"I'm pretty sure we're just blindly walking around now. How are we supposed to find Chef at this rate?" Miriam asked Clifford.

Clifford sighed as they kept walking. "I had hoped there would be more clues as to what Calista did with Chef, but it seemed any trace of him was removed from the campsite. At this point wandering aimlessly is our best bet." He said.

"As long as Koh's team is able to stop Calista finding Chef isn't as important." Kyoko said.

AJ looked down scarred. "I hope that the others are going to be okay going after Calista." She said.

Tom held AJ's hand gently and lifted her head up. "Don't worry, it's going to be fine. Koh and Johnathan are some of the strongest people here, Aiden has several tricks up his sleeve including acting skills apparently, and we all know Genevieve can be scary when she's mad. They can handle this, and once it's all over we can get back to playing the game." He told her.

"T-Tonight's events have made me realize that I don't belong here anymore. I should have been eliminated a l-lo-long time ago. Everyone left has some amazing skill or talent that's taken them this far while I've only survived because I'm n-not a threat... I'm nothing more than a liability." AJ said.

"That's not true AJ." Tom told her. "You won the talent contest, got full points in the fear challenge, you're smart and have amazing taste in literature. Plus it wasn't until you left the team that we started going on a losing streak. When you left the team just wasn't the same, and we couldn't win without you." He said.

Clifford scoffed at Tom's claims. "Don't let him give you an inflated ego. Our losing streak and you leaving was a coincidence and nothing more. We lost because of an overly emotional team, and a lack of discipline." He said. "Go ahead and count your victory, but if we look at your mistakes, you cost us the water challenge with your poor choice to exclude Tom, performed poorly in Sportsball, haven't had any long term important actions, and you haven't even quit your ridiculous stuttering. You haven't changed at all since you arrived to the island, and it's clear you won't change before your inevitable elimination." He told her. AJ sighed defeated, and Tom glared at Clifford.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"What was that all about!" Tom yelled. "Clifford was way too out of line there. I know he doesn't like me being friendly with AJ since she's on the other team, but it's not like teams matter right now. AJ already has a rough time with her self-esteem, and he's only making things worse." He complained.

 **(Switch)**

"Perhaps I was too harsh on the girl given the circumstances of the night, but my points stand true. If she's going to grow a backbone and stand up for herself, then she needs to hear the truth and not Tom smothering her with compliments. I'll need her to be stronger if she'll still serve as an ally later on." Clifford said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Kyoko asked Clifford as the group kept walking.

"The truth is often harsh." He responded.

"I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you." Miriam said. "Despite her shy nature the fact that she's been on both our teams has helped her to form bonds with more people than anyone else. There's very few people on the island who don't like her in some way. In a game like this the bonds you make are often stronger than what you can do as an individual." She said.

"That's assuming the girl is smart enough to take advantage of those bonds." Clifford pointed out. "It's true she could be a threat, but until she realizes the power she holds she'll stay irrelevant." He said.

Miriam looked back to see Tom was telling AJ about his favorite novel to cheer her up. She smiled confidently before looking back at Clifford. "She has the fight in her, and I know it'll come out. She seems to be having a great time with Tom. Do you want me to go ahead so you and Kyoko can have quality time as well?" She asked.

Kyoko blushed fiercely turning red as a tomato. She rapidly waved her hands back and forth. "Clifford and I are just partners... not partners like the other partners... I just mean we work together." She replied.

Clifford sighed and shook his head. "Kyoko the more flustered you become the more suspicious we seem. If you must know there is nothing more to the relationship I hold with her than that of working to end our losing streak. She's proven to be the only person on the team I can count on to assist me." He told Miriam.

Miriam laughed while Kyoko still looked red. "If you say so, but even without being on your team I've noticed how close the two of you are. I won't be surprised if the teamwork becomes something stronger." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I don't know what's worse Genevieve saying I'm Clifford's lapdog, or Miriam saying I'm Clifford's boyfriend. There's nothing wrong with Clifford, but he's just not the type of person I see myself with. He's a great art friend, but not someone I'd want to date." Kyoko said.

 **(Confessional End)**

"If you're done teasing Kyoko I did have one question for you Miriam." Clifford told her.

Miriam raised an eyebrow curiously. "What do you want to know?" She asked him.

"It's clear you're the leader on your team. At the start of the competition my team was utterly destroying you, but somehow your team recovered and put us in a losing streak we have not broken. Despite Tom's claims that AJ leaving caused our losses I'm sure that's a coincidence and nothing more." Clifford said.

Miriam paused to think before giving her answer. "If you want to know the truth I didn't do anything. I barely even consider myself a leader sometimes. Aiden, Koh, Lucy, Genevieve, Zelda they all have their reasons for being here besides winning the game. Some of them I had no idea about. You try too hard to micromanage your entire team Clifford, but you need to let things happen more naturally. My team isn't winning because I'm a perfect leader, we're winning because you're trying too hard to be a perfect leader." She told him.

Just when Clifford was going to rebuttal, Tom and AJ ran up to them with a startling revelation. "We think we might know where Chef is." Tom said. "AJ figured something out." He said.

"I-I'm not too sure, b-b-but something Calista said seemed off to m-me. She said Chef was t-taken care of on the island, so she probably has people working for her here. If she does, then it'll make the most sense for him to be in the kitchen co-cooking for them." AJ explained.

"A sound theory, but why wouldn't Chef fight back. He isn't the type of person to give up." Clifford said.

"Normally no, but remember that Calista has Chris captured off the island. Chef won't do anything if it means risking Chris." Tom pointed out. "If we can find some way to get a note to Chef that Chris is safe then Calista won't be able to keep Chef from fighting back." He said.

Miriam nodded in agreement, and put her fist in the air with determination. "Alright, let's get to the kitchen and free Chef." She said.

Back at the intern campsite Koh had finished tracing the signal from Calista's transmission. Luckily for them it wasn't too far from the island, but unluckily it was still too far for them to swim the entire distance. The group sat around swapping ideas for what to do next.

"Why don't I just call in a helicopter to take us to Calista. It wouldn't be a hard task." Genevieve suggested.

"That might take too long, besides if Calista sees a helicopter approaching the island she could end up triggering the bombs. We want to give Zelda's team enough time to gather them up and disarm them." Koh said.

"There has to be some way off the island other than swimming. Isn't there a boat that we could use?" Aiden asked.

Lucy shook her head. "There used to be a boat, but ever since Chris started getting insane ways to eliminate us he didn't really need to keep it around." She said.

Johnathan snapped his fingers getting an idea and smiled. "Wait, that's just what we need Lucy. If we use the Pendulum of Shame we'll be able to launch ourselves into the ocean and then just swim up to the yacht." He said.

"That plan sounds absolutely insane." Genevieve deadpanned.

"True, but it's the only plan that we have and it's better than nothing." Koh replied.

They raced down to the Pendulum of Shame, and Koh moved it to face roughly the direction that she had traced the signal to come from. They each took a turn strapping themselves onto the Pendulum so it could launch them off the island. Once they were all in the water, the yacht was not too far away, and they were able to swim up to it. Climbing up the side, they made their way to the front deck.

"This is nightwear, it was not meant for swimming." Genevieve complained.

"You could have stayed on the island if you wanted to, now stay quiet." Koh shushed her. "We don't know how many people are on here besides Calista and Chris. The transmission looked like it came from inside so we need to be careful trying to find them." She said.

"Should we split up?" Johnathan asked.

Koh shook her head. "There's a bigger chance of us getting caught in a group, but there's also safety in numbers. Let's stick together for now, and only split up if that seems to be the best idea." She said.

On the island, Zelda, Ciara, and Nicky finally regained consciousness. When they awoke they found themselves with their hands tied up in the Mess Hall along with several unconscious interns. They saw Chef in the kitchen frantically preparing food.

"What's going on?" Nicky asked Zelda.

"If I'd have to guess my theory about Calista having accomplices on the island was correct and they got to us. This must be where they're keeping everyone while Calista holds Chris off the island." She answered.

"Wait, but we were using the Mess Hall for our courtroom earlier. How did we not notice Calista's goons?" Ciara asked.

"They must have moved here after we left to investigate the explosion. There were a few unconscious interns at the campsite, but most of the interns seem to be relocated here now." She said.

"Well how will we get out of this?" Ciara asked.

Zelda looked around trying to come up with an idea, but found nothing. "I'm not sure what we can do." She said.

Ciara took notice of the two guards who Chef was cooking for, and gasped. "I have an idea for how we can free ourselves and Chef, but I don't think you'll like it sis." She told Zelda.

"Anything is better than staying here defeated." Zelda said.

Ciara nodded in agreement. "You're going to need to seduce the guards." She told Zelda.

"What!" Zelda yelled. She quickly shut her mouth hoping to not attract any attention to them. "What." She repeated a lot softer.

"Ciara we're friends, but that's the worst idea I've ever heard." Nicky said.

"Hear me out, they don't look to be that much older than us, and we all know Zelda is smoking hot. If she can seduce them into a false sense of security then she can distract them long enough for us to escape." Ciara explained.

Zelda blushed at the thought. "Why don't you do it?" She asked. "Your the expert at flirting here, I've never flirted a day in my life." She argued.

"I can't do it because that wouldn't be fair to my sweet Dante." She said.

"I'm sure my brother would forgive your flirting if it meant keeping us alive." Zelda argued back.

"Nicky tell Zelda I'm right. You agree that she's uber hot and able to seduce them right." Ciara said.

Nicky looked away not wanting to get involved. "Umm... She's definitely very attractive, but don't you think this is putting a bit too much pressure on her?" She asked.

"I'll guide her though it. She just needs to move her hips a little, lower her head, bat her eyelashes, maybe accidentally lower one of the straps on that nightgown of hers." Ciara said.

Zelda blushed even harder. If her hands were not tied up, she would have surely covered her face ages ago. "Dante would never approve of this plan. I'd hate to be the reason you two get into a fight, so let's just come up with something else." She said.

Ciara laughed off Zelda's comment. "Just leave your brother to me sis, now come let's hurry up and get this plan in action." She said.

Nicky mouthed over to Zelda 'I'm sorry' but remained silent to Ciara's plan.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I've known Ciara enough now to learn when she wants to do something she will. There was no getting Zelda out of this plan, and as harsh as it sounds it's better her than me." Nicky said.

 **(Switch)**

"What I did next was the most humiliating thing that ever happened to me. Even more humiliating than when Genevieve destroyed my dog. But I did it because I had to survive." Zelda said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Zelda stood up and walked over to the two guards. "Umm... hey there, you wouldn't mind helping me with this would you?" Zelda asked gesturing to the rope around her hands. "My hands are really hurting." She said. She tried winking at them, but ended up just blinking repeatedly.

"What is she doing? That was a terrible start." Ciara whispered to Nicky.

"What did you expect. Having a brother like Dante means she's never had a chance to flirt, and now you want her to seduce what could probably be criminals." Nicky softly yelled.

"When you put it that way it sounds like a terrible idea." Ciara admitted. "Why didn't you stop me?" She asked Nicky.

"Would you have even listened?" Nicky asked.

Zelda gulped as the guards approached her. She raised her eyelashes, and tilted her head slightly. "Please help me. Even if I had my hands free what could I possibly do to stop such strong people." She said. The two guards briefly looked at each other and nodded before undoing the rope around Zelda's hands. She smiled and put her hands on her chest. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I could ever repay you." She told them.

Once Zelda's hands were free, the two guards suddenly collapsed unconscious. Zelda flinched instinctively, but when she opened her eyes, she saw Miriam, Clifford, Tom, Kyoko, and AJ with Chef.

"Good job distracting the guards so we could tell Chef that Chris was safe." Miriam told Zelda. "Come on we're taking Chef's airplane to help the main team on the yacht." She explained.

Zelda nodded and went over to undo the rope around Ciara and Nicky's hands. Ciara hugged Zelda once she was able to. "That was a rough start, but I knew you could pull it off sis." She told Zelda.

Zelda huffed, and cleaned her glasses as they were getting fogged from her nervous body heat. "We're lucky that the others found Chef in time otherwise I would not have been able to keep that up. Let me make myself clear that I am never doing something like that again." She told Ciara.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"Okay, I shouldn't have pushed Zelda to do something she wasn't comfortable doing, but it was the only plan and it did work out in the end. I know how I'll make it up to my new sister, I'll help her get a boyfriend before she's eliminated." Ciara said.

 **(Confessional End)**

On the yacht, there was no progress in finding Calista. The yacht seemed to have endless rooms, and each one was empty inside.

"How large is this thing?" Aiden complained.

"Excuse me for having exquisite taste. This is actually one of the smaller yachts, but I figured there was no need to get a high end model since I was going to give it away once I arrived." Genevieve said.

"If you bought this thing, then shouldn't you know where all of the rooms are?" Johnathan asked. "I feel like we've been walking through the same hallway for hours." He said.

"Everyone shut up!" Koh yelled cutting off their conversation. "I think I heard something around the corner." She said in a quieter voice.

The group slowly approached the corner, but unfortunately for them a group of Calista's henchman were ready to take them down. They were armed with tranquilizer guns, and promptly aimed to incapacitate the group. Being unable to react Johnathan, Aiden, and Genevieve were shot almost immediately. As Lucy was about to get hit, Koh pushed her out of the way and gave her a chance to run.

"It's the least I could do after putting you through that trial." Koh muttered before falling unconscious from the tranquilizers. Lucy ran as fast as she could, and once she felt she was safe, she turned around to see nobody behind her.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"The only thing Koh wanted was to get revenge on Calista, and she gave that up to make sure I was safe. Maybe she only did it to make up for the trial earlier, or maybe she really does care about me." Lucy said.

 **(Confessional End)**

Lucy caught her breath after running so fast and looked around trying to think of anything to do. "This is really bad. I'm the only one left, and I don't even know how many people I'm up against. I can't give up after Koh sacrificed herself for me, but I don't know how I can do anything." Lucy said out loud to herself. "I wish I had my diary with me right now." She sighed. "Lucy might not be able to do anything for the others, but I'm sure Lucina can stop Calista and end this." She said with fierce determination.

Lucy slowly made her way back to the corridor where they had previously been ambushed. Knowing that around the corner was the tranquilizer guards she needed to act carefully. She saw a nearby door, and opened then slammed it hard to create the illusion that she had run inside. As the guards started to run over and investigate she hid behind a nearby potted plant using her small size to her advantage. As the guards went into the room she tricked them to, she entered the corridor and saw a golden door. Figuring Calista would put herself in the most luxurious room that was where she would be. Sure enough when Lucy opened the door Calista sat on a large bed awaiting her.

Calista clapped as Lucy approached her. "I did not think anyone would actually make it in here, but I should have known not to underestimate the criminal." She said. "I wonder if she knew you'd be capable of making it." Calista said pointing over at Koh who was still unconscious.

"I am not a criminal. I was found innocent in both trials I've been a part of." Lucy said. She stood her ground as best as she could, but it was clear to Calista that Lucy was shaking.

Calista laughed and stood up from the bed approaching Lucy. "You may have been found innocent, but I know you aren't innocent. There's not too much that separates you and me, except that I embrace who I am while you hide from it." She said.

"You don't know anything about me." Lucy argued.

"Oh, but I do. In fact I know more about you than anyone else here due to this." Calista said. She pulled out Lucy's diary, and dangled it in front of her mockingly. "Honestly I have to thank you. If you hadn't been so suspicious Koh wouldn't have been able to jump to conclusions and that ridiculous trial would've never been held. Chris and Chef were so entertained watching that little fiasco they never saw my plan coming." She said.

Lucy's eyes widened, and she collapsed to the floor. "How did you get my diary?" She meekly asked.

"Did you really think I was working alone?" Calista asked. "I couldn't have pulled all of this off if I didn't have others also masquerading as interns. Chris was too lazy to background check any of his interns so it was far too easy to slip in." She mocked.

Calista sat back on the bed as Chef and the others from the island barged into the room. They had managed to fight off the guards from earlier due to their advantage in numbers. Chef ran over to untie Chris, and the previously captured contestants began to wake up from the tranquilizer darts.

"It's over Calista. There's nowhere left for you to run." Koh groggily taunted.

"Well, it seems the party is all here. Such a shame that my criminal run must come to an end... Unless of course I wanted you all to be gathered here." Calista said. She pulled a remote control out of her sleeve, and pressed a button on it. As soon as the button was pressed, a large dome surrounded her and the bed she was sitting on.

"What is that?" Clifford asked in shock.

Genevieve sat up as she recovered from her drowsiness, and looked at the dome. "This isn't just a standard luxury room, it's a panic luxury room. That dome is built to protect from any possible intruder and can only be disarmed by pressing the button on the remote that she has." She explained.

"The heiress is correct. Now I've had my associates move the bombs from the island to this ship. If my demands of a full pardon are not met, then I'll detonate them and bring the whole ship down. Luckily the dome will protect me from any impact. Unluckily, you'll all meet an explosive fate." Calista threatened.

"You wouldn't do that. If you bring the ship down while you're in that dome then it'll sink and you'll just end up drowning in there." Koh warned.

Calista looked unphased by this. "Well if it comes to that, then that fate is still better than being defeated by fame hungry teenagers and a washed up reality show host." She said.

"Who are you calling washed up." Chris yelled at her.

"Oh great did you have to remove the gag I put on him. He's so annoying." Calista complained. Thinking that she had won, Calista let her guard down, but did not see Lucy had been trapped in the dome with her since she was still on the ground by the bed. Lucy jumped up and tackled Calista.

"Lucy take the remote from her and you can end this." Tom yelled at her.

"Lucy isn't going to do a thing if she wants the contents of her diary to remain secret." Calista said pulling out Lucy's diary once more.

Lucy pushed Calista down on the bed struggling to take the remote from her. "I care more about these people than I do about my diary. I've been distant, I've lied, and yet they still consider me a friend. They're willing to stand up for me, fight for me, sacrifice themselves for me. If I can't sacrifice for them then what kind of a person am I?" Lucy yelled at Calista.

"They won't do any of that once they know the real you." Calista said.

"I'll take my chances with that." Lucy said. She managed to pull the remote from Calista and bring the dome around them down. Once the dome was down, Chef spared no time in grabbing Calista and keeping her in his grasp. When the group exited the room, Calista's henchman seeing themselves outnumbered and their boss defeated surrendered themselves. On the ships deck they awaited for the authorities to take Calista away.

"I am glad that's taken care of. Now we can get back to the show. I have the best challenge planned for later today." Chris said.

Everyone glared at him and Chef leaned over to Chris. "We might not have gotten out of this if it wasn't for the kids." He whispered to Chris.

Chris groaned in response. "Fine, you guys can get a week off to rest after today." He told them. They cheered for this news and Chris went off to relax at the yacht's sauna leaving Chef in charge.

"I'm sorry that you couldn't get your revenge against Calista." Lucy told Koh.

Koh held out her hand, and Lucy accepted it. "I knew you'd have a better chance of stopping Calista than I did. I've been acting irrationally all day, and we needed someone with a clear head to go after her. Aiden and Johnathan really the smartest bunch, and I don't trust Genevieve with something like this." She said. Koh and Lucy shook hands smiling.

Genevieve stepped by, and put her hands on her hips looking at Lucy. "Well since you were so indifferent to Calista revealing your secrets earlier does that mean you'll allow us to read your diary now?" She asked Lucy.

"Leave Lucy alone princess, she did just save us." Miriam said.

Lucy chuckled and pulled out her diary. "Here you go Genevieve. If I'm going to make friends I need to stop hiding behind this." Lucy said.

Genevieve snatched up the diary and combed through it. She frowned as she finished and threw it on the ground. "Where are all the dark secrets. There was nothing in there but depressing stories, and complaints about each day." She said.

Lucy picked up the diary and looked to the other contestants. "You always assumed I had dark secrets in here, but there's only one secret I've been keeping. The girl you thought you knew is a lie. I came up with the idea for Lucy not long after my trial was held. The perfect person. A happy girl who always smiled, had no cares in the world. Someone who could always laugh and shrug off the harsh realities of life. The oblivious and naive girl you all knew isn't real." Lucy paused to take a breath and calm herself before continuing. "My diary is where I bottle up all my emotions and show my real self. Someone who's a little more cynical, a little more depressed, a little more damaged. Someone who hasn't been genuinely happy in years. That's who Lucina von Richter is, not Lucy." By the time she finished speaking she was visibly shaking.

Zelda gave her a reassuring hug. "Lucy was someone I considered to be a friend, but I'd love to get to know Lucina as well." She said. "Just promise me that you'll stop bottling everything in your diary, and you'll be honest with your friends." She said. Lucy nodded as the first tears of happiness she felt in years flooded her face.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"I never thought Lucy would be able to win the game, but Lucina is someone who's going to win that money and make it to law school." Lucina said confidently.

 **(Confessional End)**

"Well it seems everyone is getting a happy ending after all." Calista sarcastically said.

Koh went over and looked down at Calista mockingly. "Everyone except for you Calista." She said.

"Will you please stop calling me that. It was a good enough name when I was winning, but now that I've lost it's humiliating." She complained.

"Aren't you Calista? The one from the files?" Koh asked.

The criminal who was apparently not Calista laughed. "I'm not Calista, you are. Calista is your real name. What's more I didn't have anything to do with your parents murder because your parents are alive." She said.

Koh grabbed her by the collar and pulled her furiously. "How do I know you're not lying to me." Koh asked.

"I get nothing from lying to you now. If you don't believe me that's fine, but if you want to reunite with your parents then I'd suggest not trusting that gang of yours as much as you do." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"She has to be lying... but if she's not and my parents are alive. I have to find them." Koh said conflicted.

 **(Confessional End)**

Ciara went up to their captured criminal. "Since you were working as an intern you know everything that's going on. Tell me the truth did Genevieve pay off Chris to have Dante eliminated." She asked.

"No she didn't, but her father did." She answered.

Hearing this Genevieve rushed over immediately. "What are you talking about?" Genevieve asked demandingly.

"Your daddy saw how Dante hit you, and paid Chris as well as the producers a very heavy amount to make sure that something like that would never happen to his precious little girl again. You may not have done anything, but you are to blame." She laughed.

Genevieve looked frantically and began to attack Not-Calista. "Don't you dare lie to me. My loving daddy would never do something like that. First you blackmail me, and now you attempt to besmirch my family name. I am going to make sure that you suffer for a long time. I'll find a way to have the harshest punishment possible passed on you, and you will never see the light of day again as you rot away." She ranted.

"No!" Lucina yelled over. "Let the legal system do it's job with her. If you pay off the judges to give her a harsher punishment then you're doing exactly what she wants, abusing your money for your own gain." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"She must be lying. If that senile old man and his pathetic wife even think of interfering with my game they will regret it. I don't need any help from anyone to win this game. I can do it myself because I am Genevieve Anastasia Brittany Adelyn Esmeralda Harper Elliandra Esquire." Genevieve yelled before aggressively breaking the camera.

 **(Confessional End)**

Eventually the authorities arrived to pick up the captured criminals. Koh debriefed them on what happened, as well as asked them if they had any information that could prove her parents were actually alive. When she got the information she wanted, she sighed and went over to Chef.

"Tell Chris that I'm quitting the game." She told him.

Hearing this got the attention of everyone on the ship, and they gathered around Koh. "You're really quitting the game?" Miriam asked Koh.

"I am. Koh nodded. It's not just because I got my revenge, but because my parents might still be alive. When I told you all my story earlier I didn't tell you the whole story. Apart from the street gang I'm also an undercover cop. My job was to bring in the criminals on the island, and now that I've done that I"m free to find my parents wherever they are." She said.

 **(Confessional Camera)**

"So to recap Genevieve is rich, Koh is an undercover cop, Aiden is an actor, Zelda wants to make her dad proud, and Lucy is depressed. I'm starting to think I was the only one on my team that came here looking to win money." Miriam said.

 **(Confessional End)**

The contestants went around saying their goodbyes to Koh as she prepared to leave with the authorities. When it came to Genevieve, she surprisingly extended her hand for Koh to shake. "It's a shame you're quitting. You were one of the few players I would take earnest satisfaction from inevitably beating in the end. Try not to get arrested too quickly out there street thug." Genevieve said.

"That may be the closest to a compliment that I'll get from you." Koh laughed.

Aiden approached Koh and hugged her. "I'm really going to miss you Koh, but I understand that you need to do this." He told her.

As Aiden was going to break apart from the hug, Koh held onto him. "Come with me Aiden." She told him.

"What?" Aiden asked in shock.

"You weren't here for the money you were here as an actor. Believe me when I say the undercover cops could use someone with your skills after you get the right training. You could do a lot of good with us, and I need someone to keep me emotionally stable while I search for my parents. We've seen the mistakes I make when my emotions get the better of me." She told him.

Aiden smiled and gave Koh a kiss which she returned fully. "No million dollars would replace working with you, and using my acting skills for something good. I guess I'm quitting too." He told her.

The final person to say goodbye to Koh was Lucina. Koh kept her head down still ashamed of what she had put her through simply for jumping to conclusions.

"I hope you can forgive me for everything I put you through today. Being put on trial for murder once is hard enough, but I made you go through all of that all over again." Koh said.

Lucina took a deep breath and smiled earnestly. "I'm not hiding behind my diary or Lucy anymore, so the truth is I'm still hurt by what you did. I don't know if I can fully forgive you yet, but I don't hate you." She said. Koh smiled back and the two girls exchanged a hug. "By the way, what was on that USB you found?" Lucina asked Koh.

"I never got a chance to find out. Don't even know if it works." Koh admitted pulling it out.

Genevieve snatched the USB from Koh and threw it back in the ocean. "I'll admit that was my doing. The USB contains evidence that criminal was using to blackmail me, but I was able to take it from her and dispose of it. Now it's gone where I will never have to worry about it again." She said.

"And what exactly was she blackmailing you over?" Ciara asked Genevieve.

Genevieve smirked, and walked away calmly. "Just because everyone else exposed their dark secrets today does not mean I will. You will all learn what she had on me in due time, but for now it's my secret to keep." She said.

Koh and Aiden boarded onto the helicopter where the prisoners were being transported. They'd meed with Koh's supervising officer to debrief on all that occurred on the island and get Aiden ready for training to also be an undercover cop.

"I'm sure you could've won the game if you hadn't quit Koh." Aiden told her.

Koh shrugged and looked out the window to see the yacht sailing back to the island for the game to eventually continue. "Maybe I could have, but this is more important." She said before pausing. "By the way Aiden can I ask you for a favor?' She asked him.

"I'm always happy to help you out." Aiden told her.

"Can you start calling me Calista. I think I like that name a lot more than Koh." She said.

"Whatever your name is, I'm just glad to be with you until the end." Aiden smiled.

The pair exchanged another kiss before eventually falling asleep together in the helicopter. The adventures that Aiden and Koh, now going by Calista, would go under to find Calista's parents were many dangerous and often life threatening ones. The two of them stuck through it all together growing stronger every day. Unfortunately, these adventures would not be seen on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro: The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

18\. Brett Drake: The Powerhouse Man

17\. Dante Valverde: The Overprotective and Overbearing Older Brother

16\. Maximilian Brooks: The Lucky Guy

15\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines: The Small Pyromaniac

14\. Anthony Sterling: The Ambitious Inventor

13\. Koh Lewandoski: The Undercover Cop

12\. Aiden Rose Hall: The Actor

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Clifford, Kyoko, Genevieve, Tom, and Lucy

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Zelda, Johnathan, Ciara, Miriam, AJ and Nicky

 **Apologies to LaViolaViolaRosa and dyingonmyknees for Koh and Aiden's eliminations. From nearly the beginning of the story I knew that these two were going to be eliminated together before the merge. Both of them were in the game for reasons beyond trying to win. Koh was working her undercover case, and Aiden was trying to show off his acting skills. Due to this I felt neither of them really had a place in the merge. Their run was good, but for their purpose in the story I think this is as far as i could take them.**

 **To speak on them individually a little bit I'll start with Koh. Koh was one of my favorite characters to write, and I'm going to miss her a lot. Sorry if she seemed a little too irrational this chapter, but I felt the high emotional stakes would make her a bit more out of character than usual. She was a strong player, had a fun friendship/rivalry with Miriam, always put Genevieve in her place, and did great in challenges each time. She was one of my favorites to write, and I think she was one that I handled best.**

 **As for Aiden, he was a little less well handled. He was submitted as a villain, but as I spent more time with him I realized he's not that villainous. Sure he's deceitful and will do anything he can to get ahead, but he's not really a villain when compared to Tom, Clifford, and Genevieve. I had some schemes planned for him, but I dropped them along the way instead focusing on his relationship with Koh. I think the biggest failure on my part with Aiden was not really building any stakes for the reveal he was an actor. There wasn't any real tension in the reveal. Overall I like what I did with Aiden, but I know I could have done more.**

* * *

 **A/N: From now on when I say a week just pretend I said a month. It took us a year and a half, but we finally made it to the merge... okay technically we're not at the merge yet but we're done with the final pre-merge chapter. There's a lot of fun stuff going on, but first I just want to talk briefly about this chapter. Wrapping up the Calista arc and the pre-merge part of the story was a lot of fun. There were a lot of predictions that Koh was going to be eliminated this chapter, and even a few that Aiden would be eliminated, but nobody saw them both going out. The Calista arc was my favorite arc to write so far since it was shrouded in so much mystery. Each time one piece of the mystery was uncovered more questions were asked about what was going on. Several contestants fell under suspicion along the way. I love mysteries, and it was great to experiment with writing a psuedo-mystery myself.**

 **The chapter was a lot different from the standard chapter. Technically there wasn't even a challenge this chapter. With the first part focusing on the Trial of Lucina, and the second part focusing on stopping the evil criminal intern there wasn't any room for a challenge in between. I guess through technicality stopping the intern and rescuing Chris were the challenge, but we all know that doesn't count. I don't think there will be another chapter as unorthodox as this one again in this story, so I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **With the Calista arc wrapped up, we now enter the merge without any major arcs remaining. Sure there are still several character arcs going on, but as for plot heavy arcs it's a fresh start from here. I don't know if this merge cast was who people expected to see, but I think the remaining 11 are not only the ones I've written best, but they're also those who offer the most to the story moving forward.**

 **Now for the fun stuff. Next chapter is going to be an Aftermath special. I'll be revisiting the past 13 eliminated contestants and seeing what their time on the show was like as well as who they want to win. There will also be "behind the scenes" and "deleted" footage. Most of it will be new stuff, but some of it will be ideas that I had, but scrapped for time. It'll be nice to revisit those eliminated. Maybe get a second chance with some of the characters I didn't do as well with. As for the reason why I'm doing an aftermath special, I need time for the Official Return Poll to run. I'll be doing a poll for two eliminated contestants to return in the merge. The highest voted male and highest voted female will be coming back for another shot. I have plenty of ideas for how to handle the returnees, but who those are is ultimately up to the readers.**

 **The poll will run until I finish the Aftermath special (about a month or two given my track record) and it'll give the option to vote for four characters. Ideally you'd vote for your top two males and top two females, but technically there's no rule enforcing that. You can vote however you want. Just remember that the top voted male and top voted female are the ones returning. If you're a guest you can leave a review for your vote, but as an extra rule guests must give a reason why they want the person to return. Sorry if that's harsh on guests, but I want to avoid guest spamming to rig the votes.**

 **Hope you're all excited for the merge, the aftermath, and the returning contestants. If I could get one last favor, I want to know how many readers I still have who submitted characters. I have a good idea of who's reading based on reviews and DMs, but there's always readers surprising me that they're still here. I know I've had a lot of hiatuses, and I've made slow progress. That along with my often poor characterization has pushed readers away. Still, I'm trying my best, I'm learning, and making it through the story which is better than 90% of SYOC stories. So if you're still reading just leave a review or shoot me a DM. Thanks for sticking around so long, and I'll see you guys with the Aftermath Special. Feel free to leave any questions you have for eliminated contestants in the reviews. The more questions I get, the better the Aftermath special can be.**


	17. AFTERMATH SPECIAL 1

**Review Responses**

 _ **t20n00-**_ Glad to see you're still reading. Don't worry too much about not being able to review every time. I love reviews, but I never want readers to feel their forced to review. Glad you're liking the story arc and character developments. I agree that challenges are the weakest part of my writing, but I am working on getting better at that. I agree that I'm not a fan of characters returning, but I wanted to do it here to give past characters a second chance now that I'm growing to be a better writer. As usual with these long reviews I can't respond to everything or we'd be here all day, but I appreciate your thoughts on the contestants remaining as well as those eliminated. I'll take your points of criticism in mind as I keep working to improve my writing.

 _ **LaViolaViolaRosa-**_ Koh was a fun character to write, and I'm glad that you like how I wrote her and her story arc. Hope the aftermath and the coming merge meet expectations after I've been hyping it up for so long.

 _ **Gucci Mane LaFlare-**_ I've been waiting for a while to reach this part of the story because it's when things get intense. There will be a bit of lower stakes, but the drama will keep coming. Thank you for sticking through the story as we finally reach the halfway point.

 _ **skydragonknight57-**_ Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Pahkitew Island won't be playing a part in this. The season itself wasn't too bad, but I never really cared for Pahkitew as a location. I chose just to ignore it and besides I doubt Chris would return there after what happened with Scarlet.

 _ **Nikolai777-**_ My friend you sent a review so long it got cut off and had to be finished through a series of PMs. If that isn't impressive I don't know what is, and I'm honored that you have so much to say about my story. I wish I could discuss everything, but this chapter is already most likely going to be long as the Aftermath revisits every character we've seen leave. I'll touch on what I feel are the most important parts of your review.

I'm glad you liked the Trial of Lucina von Richter, and the action that followed. The chapter set up a lot of points that will come into play for the merge and a lot of them are things you mentioned. Regarding Calista (the villain not Koh) and the origin of the Calista file those are loose ends, but they along with other loose ends will be addressed in the aftermath special. I didn't want to wrap everything up in the chapter, but the Aftermath special gives me a chance to do that. Finally, regarding Lucy I agree that her reveal was a bit anti-climactic after all the build up. She's not done yet though and in some ways her arc has just started here. She's my OC so I've been hesitant to use her too much, but I realized I used her too little at first. Hopefully the end of her arc is more satisfying than her diary reveal.

 _ **SinWriter7-**_ Well hello there, this is a very pleasant surprise. I didn't expect anyone that hadn't submitted an OC to follow along with the story as much as you have. It's nice to see you're invested without having a personal character to follow along with. Unfortunately I can't reply to every single review you're sending, but I am reading them and I love the kind words you have. I'm especially surprised to see a Dante fan since I thought everyone hated him. If you want to discuss the story more once you're caught up and provide feedback or comments just know I love when people PM me and I'm willing to talk as much as I can. Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad to have you on board for the story.

* * *

Last Time on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island, following Koh's berserk attack on Lucy the contestants stepped in to figure out what was going on with her. After Koh unwillingly decided to tell them her story, Genevieve decided to hold The Trial of Lucina von Richter. In the trial Zelda failed to serve as a good defense, and Koh's attacks kept coming. Secrets were revealed such as Genevieve getting blackmailed by an intern, Koh finding a USB in the water, and most shockingly Aiden being an actor. The trial came to an end with Genevieve realizing Koh either can't do basic math or thought a toddler could murder someone.

No rest came for the cast after the trial however as an explosion in the Intern Camp called their attention. They received a transmission from the mysterious Calista that Koh had been hunting for quite some time. Seeing the game and their lives in danger, the two teams worked together to find Chef, disarm Calista's bomb threat, and stop the criminal.

When it came time to rescue Chef, Ciara's brilliant idea was for Zelda to flirt and seduce the guards. Luckily for Zelda, she only needed to stall long enough for Miriam to show up. Unluckily for her, that poor seduction was shown off on national television. The climax came on the yacht where Calista held the upper hand against the contestants at every turn. Too bad in her overconfidence she overlooked Lucy being able to stop her.

Everything seemed to be resolved, but then Calista revealed not only was Koh the real Calista, but Koh's parents' were alive somewhere. Koh quit the game, and Aiden went with her. Genevieve's father may be behind Dante's elimination, and Lucy's diary was nothing more than just a diary. With the cast getting a week off there's now time for the first ever Total Drama Rebirth of the Island Aftermath Special. How have the losers been since elimination? What do they have to say about their time on the show? Find out right now on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island Aftermath Special.

* * *

 **(Dear Mom and Dad I'm doin' fine,)**

The opening begins with a quick pan of the Island. It passes by Chris who is relaxing while his interns tend to him. There is a quick pan towards the tallest cliff.

 **(You guys are on my mind)**

On the top of the cliff Gonzo cannonballs off into the water.

 **(You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,)**

In the water below Kai is seen surfing. Gonzo's cannonball causes him to crash onto the shore where Nadine was building a sand castle.

 **(I wanna be famous)**

Kai looks embarrassed about ruining her sand castle, but Nadine laughs it off. Nearby, Maximilian is looking around with a metal detector. Seeing Kai and Nadine rebuilding her sand castle he runs over to help them.

 **(I wanna live close to the sun,)**

Over in the forest Ciara is trying to first with Wallace. Wallace quickly runs away from her.

 **(Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,)**

Ciara sits down on a tree stump saddened that she was rejected again. Nicky hands Ciara her guitar in an attempt to cheer her up. They start to play their instruments together until they notice Maddie attempting to start a fire and rush to make sure she doesn't set the entire forest on fire.

 **(Everything to prove, nothing in my way I'll get there one day.)**

Inside the Mess Hall Clifford and Kyoko are comparing sketches they made of each other with Clifford looking skeptical of what is supposed to be him. Next to them Johnathan and Dante are arm wrestling. While Johnathan seems to be having a good time Dante looks frustrated. Dante suddenly gets up and runs out leaving Johnathan confused for a moment until Brett takes Dante's place and they begin to arm wrestle with Brett's shirt sleeve ripping.

 **(Cause, I wanna be famous!)**

Outside the Mess Hall Zelda and Anthony are working on an invention together while Sarah and Kyle watch them. Dante suddenly shows up, grabs Zelda, and carries her away over his shoulder. Sarah, Anthony, and Kyle are left unsure of what just happened.

 **(Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!)**

Nearby at the cabins Tom and AJ are reading books while Lucy writes in her Diary. Miriam is next to them dancing to her music. Unable to concentrate Tom shuts his book and angrily walks away while pulling out a pen and notepad. Genevieve turns off Miriam's music also annoyed causing Miriam to glare at Genevieve who simply ignores her and walks away filing her nails.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

At the dock Koh is spying on Chris' interns. She heads off trying not to be seen by them when she bumps into Aiden. Aiden extends his hand offering to help her up, but she pushes him away getting up on her own. She notices the interns are now gone and angrily storms away from Aiden while the camera pans into the sky.

 **(I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous)**

Transition to night where all the contestant are sitting around the campfire. In the center AJ looks over at Tom briefly and blushes hiding behind her book. Tom is about to reach over to her when the campfire suddenly goes crazy. Maddie is shown having added extra fuel to the fire. The contestants all run off with the fire out of control.

 **(Whistling in tune)**

The fire consumes the screen and it turns black until the logo shows up.

* * *

Rather than the island that the season had been taking place, there was a set with an audience in the background. Sitting in the center of the set was a blonde middle age woman. "Hello viewing world, Blaineley Stacey Andrews O'Halloran here and welcome to the first ever Aftermath Special for Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." Blaineley introduced. "After the last intense challenge the cast earned themselves a week off giving us time to hold this special. Watch as we catch up with the thirteen eliminated contestants as well as view some never before seen footage from the show. It's going to be quite a show that you won't want to miss." She explained. "Now then let's not waste any time and get started with Wallace." Blaineley said.

Wallace stepped out from backstage and took a seat on the couch across from the chair where Blaineley was sitting. As he stepped out there was minimal audience reception for him.

"This is a bigger set than I thought we'd have." Wallace said looking around at the set.

"Well the ratings for this season have given us an expanded budget. It looks like Chris is finally doing something right." Blaineley said. "Enough about that, onto you Wally. You got voted off after leaving your team behind on the first challenge." She said.

Wallace shrugged indifferently. "I thought I'd be able to handle the game on my own, but I guess I was wrong. You win some you lose some." He said.

"Well you lost big here being the first loser. Do you think that you would change your strategy if you could start over again?" Blaineley asked.

Wallace thought for moment and shook his head. "I'll just have to be faster next time. They voted me off, and while I now see it was a reasonable elimination it goes to show I can't trust any of them." He said.

"You seriously mean there wasn't anyone you wanted to get close to. Getting eliminated was your own fault for going alone and being last in the challenge." Blaineley told him.

Wallace shrugged again. "I'm not going to start trusting people I barely know, especially not with a prize this big on the line and everyone waiting for the right opportunity to back stab you." He said.

Blaineley smirked and pressed a button on a remote next to her bringing a large screen down behind them. "Well we have never before seen footage that seems to suggest you did want to make friends with others on the island. Let's take a look." She said.

Footage from the first challenge was broadcast. Wallace was seen gathering the materials he needed to survive. He grabbed a first aid kit out from a cabinet in one of the rooms. "I knew there'd be a first aid kit in one of these rooms, now I just need to find a rope and I'll be ready to get out." Wallace said to himself. "There might not be any ropes, but if I take some tablecloths from the dining room I can tie them together to make a rope myself." He said.

Wallace headed back to the dining room, but stopped when he noticed his teammates that he had left behind around the corner.

"We're making really good progress on the crane to get out of here. Shouldn't be too much longer until we're done." Anthony said.

"Do you think that we should try and find Wallace?" Nadine asked. "I'm sure that he would be very helpful with this." She said.

Sarah looked down and shook her head. "He wanted to go on his own so forcing him to work with us isn't going to make him trust us. Besides, even if we wanted to we don't know where he is. I only hope that he makes it out in time." She said.

"Come on let's get back to work before we run out of time." Anthony said. Sarah and Nadine nodded, getting back to work with Anthony.

Wallace paused in thought for a moment. He slowly moved towards them, but then clenched his hand in a fist and turned around going back to the dining hall.

"What do you have to say about that?" Blaineley asked Wallace as the footage ended.

Wallace groaned and grumbled something under his breath that wasn't understandable. "I made my choice long ago. I'm not falling for fake friendships again." He finally said.

"You seem so convinced that nobody on the island really wanted to be friends with you." Blaineley taunted. "The world wants to know Wallace what happened to make you so distrustful of everyone around you." She told him.

"I'm not talking." Wallace said crossing his arms.

"What's the matter? Are you too scared to tell us the truth, or do you not want to admit your trust issues are nothing more than you being paranoid?" Blaineley asked him.

"You want to know what happened fine!" Wallace yelled out. "I made the mistake of trusting my so called friends once and I'm never making that mistake again. I thought cared about me, but those friends ruined my life when they brought a clown to one of my birthdays when I was just a child. They knew how terrified I was, but all they did was laugh at me while I could only cower in fear. Go ahead and call me paranoid, say I have trust issues, but I'm doing what I have to so I never fall for something like that again."

"That's such an awful thing to happen to you." A female voice was heard from just offstage.

Wallace and Blaineley both turned to see it was Nadine. She ran on stage and sat down next to Wallace offering him a hug for his sob story. Wallace pushed her aside avoiding the hug.

"Nadine you're supposed to wait until you're called to come on set." Blaineley told her.

Nadine hung her head embarrassed. "I'm sorry, but hearing what happened to Wallace I couldn't just stand there waiting for my turn." She said.

"Well we may as well move onto you next since you're already here. Don't think there's more I could squeeze out of Wallace after that story anyway." Blaineley said rolling her eyes.

"Before we start Blaineley allow me to offer one last word to Wallace." Nadine said.

"Just make it fast we have a lot more interesting people than you to get to." Blaineley said.

Nadine nodded and turned to Wallace. "From your story it's clear that your friends weren't nice people. It's no wonder you stay away from people." She told him. Nadine extended her hands out towards Wallace and smiled. "If you'll allow me though, please let me be your first real friend." She said.

Wallace looked unsure as he stared at Nadine's hands. "How do I know I can trust you? What if this is some game you're playing to make fun of me?" He asked her.

"You can trust this one, she's almost too perfect." Blaineley said. "We dug through hours of footage, but can't find a single moment where she isn't this nice. It's so sweet it's practically sickening." She said.

Nadine kept her hands extended and kept a smile on her face. Finally, Wallace reached out and held onto her hands.

"You're hands are very soft. Is this what trust feels like?" Wallace asked himself. "I don't know about everyone else, but something tells me that I can trust you." He said.

Nadine's smile grew as she pulled her hands back. "I hope that the trust you put in me can help you to trust others in time." She said.

"Booooring!" Blaineley yelled out. "Let's hurry up and get through your interview Nadine because there's plenty of drama to follow after you." She said.

Wallace got up from the couch and headed over to a row of seats set up for those who had already been interviewed. Nadine moved to sit in the center of the couch facing directly across from Blaineley.

"Let's get this over with." Blaineley said. "The people want to know Nadine, has there ever been a time where your little ball of sunshine reached it's limit and you just exploded on someone?" She asked.

Nadine pondered for a moment, but shook her head. "Sorry, but I can't say that I ever have." She answered.

"Are you sure about that?" Blaineley asked. "Are you so sure that you'd be willing to take an electric lie detector test to find the truth?" She asked.

"I'd be more than happy to take the test." Nadine answered calmly.

A few interns came on set to quickly hook Nadine up to the electric lie detector that they had. She kept her calm expression as they set it all up.

"Okay, I'll ask one more time Nadine. Have you ever reached your limit and exploded at someone?" Blaineley asked.

"Nope." Nadine answered.

Blaineley waited for the electric shock, but scowled when it never came. "Okay, well have you ever gotten mad at anyone?" She asked.

"Everyone gets mad sometimes, but I've never held a grudge and I'm quick to forgive." Nadine answered. Once again the test registered her as telling the truth much to Blaineley's frustration.

"Who do you hate from the game?" Blaineley asked.

"I was eliminated early, but I don't there's anyone there that I would hate." Nadine answered.

"Not even Genevieve?" Blaineley asked.

Nadine thought before answering. "Well she could be a lot nicer especially since she has a much nicer life than ours, but I don't think I hate her either." Nadine answered.

"What about the talent show. Everyone thinks you were sabotaged, and then Aiden schemed to eliminate you. Doesn't that just get you really angry at the other players?" Blaineley asked.

"Lucy did ask to see my cards before the show, but I don't think someone like her would sabotage me. As for Aiden, even if he didn't get them to vote for me I know I wouldn't have lasted too long. There's no reason to hold a grudge on either of them." Nadine answered.

Blaineley yelled out in frustration and stood up from her seat. "Why are you so happy and nice. What is wrong with you?" She asked.

"Well my parents always told me that if I kept a positive attitude I'd succeed in life. I'm pretty sure they were right since I made honor roll at my school last year, I have some amazing friends, and I even got the opportunity to compete in this game. Maybe if you looked at the positives instead of focusing so much on the negatives you'd have a better life too." Nadine sweetly answered.

Blaineley rubbed her forehead to ease the headache that Nadine was giving her. "Let's move onto our next guest. We're not going to get any juicy information from Nadine." She said.

Nadine carefully removed the lie detector from herself and curtsied respectfully towards Blaineley. "I appreciate the time that you gave me on your show." She said before taking a seat next to Wallace.

"Let's try and get the show back on the road with our next guest everyone's favorite psychopath Gonzo." Blaineley announced.

Gonzo cheered loudly as he ran his way onto the set. As he approached he did a double back flip somersault landing himself onto the interview couch. "Bring on all the questions. I'm ready to tell the world everything they've ever wondered about Gonzo Enrique-Núñez-García Ramírez-Vasquez-Rodriguez-Hernandez-Cortés Martínez-Roberto De La Cruz." He said.

"Is your extremely long name really necessary?" Blaineley deadpanned.

"Genevieve gets to say her full name at least twice a day, but enough about that it's question time." Gonzo said.

"Okay, well to start off viewers want to know what forced you to move out of your hometown. Chris never finished the question in the secrets challenge and it's plagued viewers since to know the truth." Blaineley said.

Gonzo laughed as he reminisced on the moment. "Now that's quite the story. I was only six years old, a little Gonzito, and this policeman starts yelling at me for skateboarding on private property. I just wanted to skate in peace so I figured the easiest way to get rid of him was to set his pants on fire when he wasn't looking. It wasn't long after that we got kicked out of the town." He said.

Blaineley sat dumbfounded at his story before taking a moment to compose herself. "Well that's definitely something. Moving on Gonzo let's talk about those bombs you left behind. They might have helped with taking down a spirit, but they also caused a lot of trouble recently with Calista and her gang of criminals. Do you regret leaving those bombs on the island?" She asked.

Gonzo sat rarely silent, and for once he did not have a crazy smile plastered on his face. "It was just supposed to be for fun you know. I really wanted to go out with a bang. Maddie told me she'd take care of the bombs to make sure they didn't go off accidentally, but neither of us knew there were criminals around. Neither of us could have prepared for that."

Gonzo paused taking a moment to breath before he continued talking his voice cracking a bit. "Blowing stuff up is fun. I love the destruction and mayhem from a well made explosion, but seeing someone try to take what I made to hurt others. It just wasn't right you know." He said.

"Wow, you really feel terrible about what you caused. Please tell us more." Blaineley said. "Why do you feel so strongly about your bombs being used the way that they were?" She asked him.

"Look, I'm just a guy that likes to have fun in a different way than most. I love skateboarding and getting into accidents. If I see something shiny I'm going to try setting it on fire. I've caused more than more fair share of property damage with my explosives. I'm unpredictable, and yeah I'll admit it I'm a little crazy too. But what I'm not is someone who wants to hurt people." He said.

Blaineley smirked as she pulled out her next card. "Well it's too bad that you couldn't do anything to stop your bombs. Neither could Maddie since she was also out by the time the criminal interns put their plan into action. Speaking of Maddie however everyone is dying to know did you ever have feelings for Maddie beyond friendship." She told him.

Gonzo quickly returned to his normal self laughing insanely at the question. "Of course not. Maddie is a really special girl. There's only so many people who share your love of blowing stuff up or setting it on fire, but she's not the type of girl I'd find myself falling in love with." He said.

"Well then who is the type of girl that you see yourself falling in love with?" Blaineley asked.

Gonzo shrugged in response. "I don't know what that type of girl is yet, but I'll know her when I find her." Gonzo answered. "Besides, if I had tried getting together with Maddie I'd be robbing the show of it's best couple." He added. Gonzo lifted up his shirt to show that under it he was wearing a second white shirt that had Maddie's face on the front and Nicky's face on the back. Under their names was #Maddicky4Life.

Blaineley cringed at his shirt. "Do they know that you have that shirt?" She asked him.

"No, but I have five more in my car if you want to buy one after the show." Gonzo answered.

"No thank you. Now lets finish with perhaps the most requested question. Fans want to know why you're so terrified of water. For someone who doesn't even seem afraid of death what caused you to fear water so much?" Blaineley asked.

"How is that even a question? Have you ever seen how terrifying that thing is?" Gonzo asked her. "I've known from an early age that water isn't something that you should mess with. I"m crazy, but I'm not insane enough to even think about that. Kai is the real lunatic on the show surfing as if he didn't care about his life." Gonzo answered.

Blaineley sat unsure of what to say next. "Right, well thank you for joining us, but it's time we move on to someone a little more sane." She said.

Gonzo stood up on the sofa and leaped over Blaineley until he landed on the other side of the set. As Gonzo exited, Sarah took her seat and stared over at Gonzo in disbelief.

"Couldn't he have just walked over there?" Sarah asked Blaineley.

"You think that was bad, just try interviewing him." Blaineley said. "Enough about him however, let's move onto you and let's not waste any time. How do you feel about the way that you were eliminated."She asked.

"At first I was fine with it since I messed up in the challenge, but the more I thought about it the more I realized I was cheated out of the game. I was eliminated by a man-child with a sister complex. If it wasn't for Dante I guarantee you I'd still be in the game right now." Sarah answered.

"Love the anger, but are you sure about that? What makes you so sure you'd still be in the game if Dante hadn't been passed an instant elimination from his friends?" Blaineley asked Sarah.

Sarah pondered Blaineley's question. "I was helpful to the team and a strong player." She answered.

Blaineley laughed sarcastically. "That's hardly a role your team was lacking in. Miriam handled being leader just fine. Koh played the tough girl act like nobody else could. I don't think you start to compare to Zelda in the intellect department, and even Anthony offered more with his inventions. Face it you'd have been gone that night with or without Dante eliminating you." She said.

"There's no reason they'd vote for me and not Genevieve if we were voting in that challenge, and after that my team started winning challenges. Like I said, I guarantee you I'd still be in the game right now if things went differently that night." Sarah said.

"Too bad we'll never know which of us is right, but I love the fire you have in you. Speaking of that fire, viewers want to know where your drive comes from. What motivates you and gives you the serious attitude you've become known for?" Blaineley asked.

Sarah shrugged nonchalantly. "Same as anyone else, I want to have a good life. I'm working hard to make sure I have a future. I'm at the top of my class, and I'm always preparing for what comes next. Sure I like to have fun when I can same as anyone else, but the most important thing right now is focusing on building myself up." She answered.

"How inspirational." Blaineley said. "Maybe a little too inspirational." She mumbled under her breath. "Thank you for your time, but we're about to reach the interesting part of this Aftermath Special." She said.

Sarah exited stage right, and Kyle came from the left. He smiled and waved at the audience as he took his seat across from Blaineley. "I'm really glad to be here Blaineley." He said.

Blaineley smiled back and pulled out her question cards for Kyle. "I'm glad to have you here too because there's quite a bit that we need to discuss. To start off why don't you tell us where your fascination with the paranormal comes from." She said.

Kyle leaned back in his seat getting comfortable. "Don't really know when it started, but I've just always been fond of things like astrology, fortune telling, and of course the paranormal. Part of it might be that I live in a small town near a swamp. There's no shortage of abandoned places where I live so I'm always exploring them with my friends."

"Well that fascination ended up being what caused you to lose. How does it feel knowing you'll be remembered for basically quitting the game?" Blaineley asked.

Kyle shrugged. "I made my choice that day, and it's not one that I regret. Leaving the game was the best thing I could have done because it gave me the time I needed to clear my conscious of the guilt I carried from the spirit challenge." He said.

Blaineley smirked as she brought up the screen once more. "You say that you have no regrets, but I think there's a major regret you have leaving the island. Let's take a look at this never before seen footage from after the talent show challenge." She said.

The footage played depicted Kyle and Lucy together. They were sitting on the beach together as the sun was about to rise.

"So what exactly are you doing awake at this hour?" Lucy asked Kyle.

Kyle chuckled. "Just a little bit of insomnia. I'm still not used to the schedule we're running on in the game so my sleep schedule has had trouble adjusting." He answered. "What about yourself?" He asked.

Lucy looked away slightly. "I wanted to see what the sunrise was like. I don't really get a chance to see the sunrise at home so I made sure I'd be able to see it at least once while I was competing." She said.

"Well I hope you enjoy the sunrise." Kyle told her. "What do you think about our team by the way?" He asked.

"Oh umm... they all seem like nice people. I don't really know what else to say." Lucy answered.

"That's true. We haven't spent too much time with them, but there are some people who have already captured my interest. Some that I'd love to get close to if given the opportunity." Kyle said looking directly into Lucy's eyes.

Lucy blushed from the implication and looked back at the sky as the sunrise began. The two of them watched the sunrise captivated by just how beautiful it looked from the island.

"Getting to see that almost makes being here worth everything we have to go through." Kyle said.

"Right... well I'll umm... I'll see you in the next challenge." Lucy said heading back to her cabin.

Kyle stood up and began to head back to his cabin as well. "Such a sweet girl. Such an enigma." He said to himself.

The footage cut off and back in the Aftermath Studio Kyle was attempting to keep a calm expression while Blaineley smirked at him.

"So do you regret leaving Lucy back on the island?" Blaineley asked him.

Kyle squirmed around a bit in his seat. "I wish I could've gotten to know Lucy better, but that's not the point. I wasn't in the right mind set when I decided to get eliminated. Even if I had stayed on the island I wouldn't have been a good friend to her." He answered.

"Maybe things would have turned out better if you had stayed." Blaineley said. "The night you were up for eliminated Koh was also close to being voted out. Maybe if Koh had been eliminated that night instead of you then the mess with Calista would have never happened. We all know how much Lucy was affected by that mess. In a way some might say you're to blame for putting her through that by keeping Koh on the island." Blaineley pointed out.

Kyle crossed his arms sitting up. "What you say is possible, but there's no way to know the truth. It's just as possible the Calista drama would have occurred without Koh, and they'd have been at a great disadvantage without her Intel." Kyle said. "If you're trying to make me regret what I chose to do, then I'm sorry to disappoint you but that won't happen." He bluntly told her.

"What about your friends and family? What did they think about you deciding to willingly get eliminated from the game?" Blaineley asked.

"I thought they'd be more dissapointed in me, but my dad and sister couldn't have been prouder of me. My friends too. I did what I thought was right, and it just isn't a choice I'm going to regret making." Kyle answered.

Blaineley groaned out in frustration and threw Kyle's question cards on the floor. "I think that's enough from you. It's obvious that there's no point in continuing so let's move on to Kai." She said.

Kyle shrugged again and put his hands in his pocket as he headed out. Kai in turn ran over to the interview couch cheering loudly with one hand raised in the air.

"Welcome Kai, it's a pleasure to have you here." Blaineley said.

"Psyched to be here Blaineley. Being on the show was a lot of fun so I can't wait to get to look back on it." Kai said.

Blaineley chuckled and shook her head. "You might want to lower the excitement a bit considering the rough terms you left on." Blaineley said. "Why don't you tell us how it felt being turned on by your team and voted out because of Dante and Ciara's lies?" She asked him.

"Whoa, hold on there a minute." Kai said holding his hands up in protest. "What happened with Dante and Ciara was a rough misunderstanding, but I don't think it's cool of you to call them liars." He said.

Blaineley laughed sarcastically. "You mean to tell me that you're fine with getting voted out just because Ciara couldn't tell you how she felt, and Dante decided to jump to conclusions about you?" She asked.

"Yeah I wish things had gone differently, but you can't change the past. Whether it was on purpose or not, we both know I hurt Ciara pretty badly that day. Dante was just standing up for his friend when he got me eliminated." Kai said.

"Let's move on just a little bit Kai. After flirting with you for days and revealing her feelings for you Ciara seemed to move on really quickly. How does it feel knowing you got rejected by the biggest flirt on the island when you tried asking her out?" Blaineley asked.

"Ciara was one of my closest friends on the island, but maybe it's better that we stayed just friends. Besides she seems really happy with Dante so how selfish would I have to be to try and take that away from her?" Kai asked.

"You aren't going to show me a shipper shirt for them are you?" Blaineley asked Kai.

"A what?" Kai asked confused.

From across the set Gonzo stood up. "I have Dantiara shirts available too!" He yelled out.

"Your interview time is over already!" Blaineley yelled back over at Gonzo. "Now then Kai eager viewers want to know if your family surf shop has gotten any popularity after you appeared on the show." She said.

Kai nodded happily. "It's insane how much tourism we've gotten. I didn't think I'd be that memorable, but I guess people really liked my time on the show. I get letters from fangirls all the time. Did you know I have fangirls? That's just crazy to think about. Seriously, thank you Total Drama for helping Nohea Surfing Goods and Novelties to become a hit tourism spot." He said.

"It seems even after you got accused of playing with Ciara's heart your popularity hasn't diminished. Any other girls you plan on toying around with?" Blaineley asked him.

Kai frowned and stood up from his seat. "You keep going back to that, but literally everyone knows it was a misunderstanding. Nobody on the show holds it against me, and nobody off the show has ever brought it up to me either. I think I'm done with this interview brah, thanks for the time." He said walking away.

"Wait, I'm not done with you yet. We still haven't talked about your surfing history, or what you thought of your teammates." Blaineley said.

Kai ignored her and instead simply took his seat with the other interviewed contestants. Blaineley stomped her foot in anger, but quickly composed herself as she saw an intern leading Brett onto the set.

"Everyone welcome Mr. Muscles himself Brett to the Total Drama Aftermath Special." Blaineley introduced.

Brett waved at the audience happily. As he took his seat on the interview couch however the sleeve of his shirt quickly ripped off.

"Well I figured that was going to happen." Brett said.

Blaineley laughed at Brett's comment. "Well that actually leads us into our first question Brett. How many shirts do you go through each day, and how do you manage to afford so many shirts?" She asked.

Brett thought for a moment before shrugging. "It's probably once or twice a day that I just end up being shirtless. The only reason I'm able to afford so many shirts is because I buy them in bulk so it's cheaper for me. Once I save enough money from my odd jobs I'll be going to a tailor so I can have shirts and actually fit." He answered.

"Interesting, and how exactly did you get to be this big? Is it genetic? Do you workout a lot? Did something happen that made you want to get this big?" Blaineley asked him.

"Not really." Brett answered. "I always liked to work out, but before I used to be a really little guy. When I was a kid I was a lot shorter than most of my classmates. Then I guess puberty just hit me like a train because next thing I know I'm the largest guy in my class. I have a good workout routine and a nice diet too, but there's no real secret to getting as big as I am. Most if it just happened." He said.

"Well you definitely towered over the other contestants. Most of them anyway." Blaineley said. "Dante was the only one close to your size and build, but he wanted nothing to do with you. Why were you so adamant about being friends with him?" She asked.

"There aren't too many people I can really work out with. Dante would have made a cool workout partner since he could keep up with me. Besides, I don't think Dante is that bad of a guy. He just has a few issues he needs to work out." Brett answered.

Blaineley smirked as she pulled out the last card for Brett. "One last question for you Brett. You got voted off by the other team and not your own. Do you think your team would've voted for Dante instead of you?" She asked.

"I hate to say it, but yeah they probably would. Clifford was always complaining about Dante, and Tom seemed pretty scared of him. Ciara and Max probably would've tried to keep him around, but I don't see him surviving elimination against me if our team was the one voting." He said.

"Well why don't we hear what Dante has to say since he and Maximilian are the next pair up." Blaineley said.

As Brett exited the stage, his shirt ripped off leaving him shirtless as he expected. Dante and Maximilian took a seat together on the couch.

"Why are we being interviewed together while everyone else got an interview to themselves?" Maximilian asked.

"The two of you were eliminated in the same challenge. Besides, I don't think anyone is interested in Dante's sidekick getting an interview without Dante being around." Blaineley answered.

Maximilian glared at Blaineley and stood up heading out. "If you aren't going to respect me enough to consider me a person, then what's even the point of this interview?" He asked.

"Wait wait wait!" Blaineley yelled over at him standing up. "We really need you to get the most of the interview. I can interview you first if you want." She offered.

Maximilian looked over at Dante who shrugged at him. Maximilian nodded and returned to his seat on the interview couch next to Dante.

"Okay, then let's get started." Maximilian told Blaineley.

Blaineley smirked and took her seat once more. "Let's start with some questions about yourself before we move onto Dante. Your contestant profile says you're the lucky guy. Do you have any experience gambling, or where did that title come from?" She asked.

Maximilian laughed and smiled. "Well I've never been gambling before so I don't know how well my luck holds up there, but I just feel like I've had a very lucky life." He said.

"Can't be too lucky since you got voted out of the game due to a cat. Why are you afraid of cats?" Blaineley asked.

"To be honest I'm not too sure myself. It could be some childhood trauma that's I've repressed, but all I know is that cats fill me with so much terror you couldn't imagine it. They're terrifying." He answered.

"Okay." Blaineley nodded. "Let's get to what everyone is wondering. Why did you become friends with Dante. What could have driven you to befriend such an unlikable person?" Blaineley asked.

"I'm right here." Dante pointed out.

Maximilian laughed again. "It's something people back home asked me too. I get it, Dante isn't the type of guy who you'd expect someone like me to be friends with. He's always so angry, he's violent, he's brash, abrasive, unintentionally controlling, and if I'm being honest he comes off as a complete asshole when you first meet him." Maximilian said.

"I am still right here!" Dante yelled.

"But," Maximilian said putting his hand on Dante's shoulder. "If you can somehow get passed the awful first impression there's a lot to like. I think Ciara said it best when she said Dante hides a sweet side and pushes everyone away before they can find it. Unfortunately for him, I was too stubborn to be pushed away. Dante's been through quite a lot, and he definitely needs to grow a lot more but he's not as bad as he seems." Maximilian answered.

Blaineley wiped away fake tears from her eyes. "That's the sweetest thing ever." She said. "It's no wonder that so many people ship you together." She added dropping the sad act.

"They what?" Maximilian asked.

"Oh you don't know?" Blaineley asked. "There's a large Dantimilian fan base, and they were quite angry when Dante got together with Ciara instead of you. Honestly just take a look at the Dantimillian fan boards and see how many hate posts there are for Ciara." She said.

Maximilian shook his head in disbelief. "That's insane. Please if any of you are fans of me then don't do that. Ciara is my friend too, and I'm more than happy for her and Dante. I don't want any hate being sent their way." He said.

"So you mean to tell us you never had any romantic feelings for Dante yourself?" Blaineley asked.

"No!" Maximilian yelled. "Dante's my closest friend, but that's all he ever was and all he ever will be. Let him and Ciara be together in peace without having to drag me into it." He said.

Blaineley smirked once more and turned slightly to face Dante. "I doubt the fans will listen to you Max, but why don't we take some time to talk to Dante instead. I have to know how it feels knowing you're probably the most hated contestant on the show." She said.

Dante kept a neutral expression on his face. "No bother to me at all. I'm used to everyone hating me, and somehow I made it out of the game with a better friend than I've ever had, a girlfriend who understands me, a stronger relationship with my sister, and a better outlook on who I am. What the viewers think doesn't matter to me at all." He said.

"There's the rough exterior everyone keeps mentioning. Let's see if my questions can't crack into the so called sweet side of Dante." Blaineley said. "You had a reputation for threats and violent. That ended up sending you home. Do you regret being so violent on the show?" She asked.

"I won't say I regret it, but I could have played smarter instead of stronger." Dante answered.

"There's something that's been bothering viewers for quite some time. You've always called Zelda your sister, but yet you refer to your father by his first name. Is she actually your sister, or is she only your step-sister with a different father?" Blaineley asked.

Dante clenched his hand in a fist angrily. "She's my sister, and he is my father, but he lost the right to be called my father a long time ago. He's never cared about anything other than himself. Even Zelda means nothing to him than just being a way for him to preserve his so called legacy. I'm not going to call him my father if he isn't going to act like one." Dante answered.

Blaineley's smirk grew as she saw Dante getting angry. "Speaking of Zelda, before getting eliminated she told you to live your own life and stop worrying about hers. Have you taken her words to heart, or are you still living for her instead of living for yourself?" Blaineley asked.

"I will always be there for her, but maybe I was there too much for her. Max told me once that I was too controlling of her. I didn't want to accept that, but if there's anyone who's word I should believe it's his. I never wanted to control her, I just wanted to keep her safe and make sure she lived the best life she could. I don't know what living for myself means yet, but maybe after Ciara's done with the game we can find out together." Dante said.

"You know we never learned who sent the love note to Zelda. Aren't you worried about her potential love interest still being on the island?" Blaineley asked.

"I am still worried, but if I'm trusting her then I'll trust her to make the right choice. If it turns out this guy, whoever he may be, hurts her then I'll be more than willing to break his face in." Dante answered.

"Still not completely over the tough older brother act I see." Blaineley taunted. "How about Ciara's plan to have Zelda seduce Calista's henchmen? What did you think about that idea?" Blaineley asked.

Dante clenched his fist again and grumbled slightly. "I'll be talking with her personally after the game. That isn't something I'm going to share in this interview." He answered.

Blaineley smiled evilly and brought footage the screen down. "Okay Dante, before we finish with you there's some behind the scenes footage that I think you need to see." She said.

The footage showed the beach at night. Kai and Ciara were in their bathing suits and each had a surfboard in their hands.

"I'm glad that you decided to let me teach you how to surf Ciara. It can be a little scary, but I think you'll be great at it." Kai said.

Ciara blushed and walked towards the water with her surfboard. "Well you always know the best ways to get me wet Kai." She flirted.

Kai laughed shaking his head. "Love the jokes, but let's be serious for a moment. Surfing is a blast, but we should take it slowly on your first lesson." Kai said. "Balancing is probably the most important thing so we should start there." He said.

Ciara put down her own surfboard and sat on Kai's surfboard as he pushed it into the ocean. He sat on it himself moving out towards the waves.

"This is a little scary." Ciara told Kai.

"Just grab on tightly to me and you'll be fine." Kai instructed.

Ciara grabbed onto Kai pressing against him firmly. She was shaking in fear as the waves started to pick up.

"Maybe this was a bad idea." Ciara yelled out.

"Do you want to go back?" Kai asked her.

Ciara nodded being too scared to speak. As Kai moved across the wave to head back to the beach, a large wave suddenly picked up moving the balance that the two of them had. Ciara struggled to hold onto Kai, but slipped and fell into the water.

"Ciara!" Kai yelled noticing she fell in.

Ciara struggled to swim up from the water, but the force she fell off the surfboard and the intensity of the waves made it hard for her to keep going. She began to feel herself losing consciousness as Kai swam down and picked her up. Kai carried her back to the beach and checked to see if she was still breathing. Noticing a faint breath Kai performed CPR on Ciara.

"Come on Ciara stay with me." Kai pleaded.

Kai continued to perform CPR until Ciara coughed up the remaining water she had in her lounges. Opening her eyes Ciara smiled to see Kai leaning over her with concern. "So when's the next lesson?" She asked.

Kai laughed at her nonchalant attitude to almost drowning, and Ciara laughed along with him too.

The footage ended and Dante immediately stood up walking over to where Kai was sitting. Maximilian stepped in front of him quickly.

"Dante you can't be jealous if it was before you were dating her." He said.

Dante put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "If you trust me then you'll step aside right now. I know what I'm doing." He said

Maximilian hesitated, but nodded stepping aside. Blaineley moved the camera over to follow Dante as he approached Kai. Kai closed his eyes and flinched expecting Dante to relentlessly attack him. When the impact didn't come however he opened his eyes and saw Dante extending his hand out.

"You aren't going to kill me?" Kai asked.

Dante kept a blank expression on his face with his hand extended. "You saved her life there. I almost lost someone I cared about to drowning before, and this time it would've been Ciara if not for you. The next time you want to teach her to surf, you mind teaching me too?" He asked.

Kai smiled and ignored Dante's handshake instead going to hug him. "You bet." He cheered.

Dante pushed the hug away quickly. "Don't ever hug me again. Despite everything that went wrong I'm sure Ciara will still want to be your friend, and as long as she's your friend then I can't hate." He said.

"Are you kidding me!" Blaineley yelled. "All of the work I put into building up his anger just for him to forgive Kai." She yelled.

"I already told you the tough guy act is just an act. Dante was never going to hurt Kai. In fact though he'll never admit it I'm sure that Dante had already forgiven Kai a long time ago." Maximilian said.

Dante smiled briefly and punched Maximilian in the arm. "Shut up Max, has anyone ever told you that you talk too much." He said.

Blaineley pulled at her hair and knocked over a camera in anger causing the aftermath special to briefly cut off. When it returned with a new camera Blaineley was sitting in her seat looking much more composed and having makeup applied to her.

"We're almost done with the Aftermath Special. Let's bring out the pyromaniac who captured everyone's heart Maddie." Blaineley said.

Maddie came onto the set holding Nicole with her. Nicole was barely visible however as she was covered up in a large cat sweater. She sat down and placed Nicole on her lap who proceeded to fall asleep right away.

"Let's not be too loud Nicole hasn't taken a nap today since I was getting her ready for the show." Maddie said.

Blaineley stared blankly at Maddie. "It's a bit hard to host an interview for a live audience with a sleeping cat." She said.

"If you wake up my baby I swear I will burn down this whole set!" Maddie yelled.

Blaineley took a step back. "You're the one who's yelling." She pointed out. "I guess we can start with what you're most remembered for. How does it feel knowing you're one of the most popular characters and part of the most popular ship in the show?" Blaineley asked.

"Maddicky!" Gonzo cheered lifting up his shirt.

"Wow the shirt came out great Gonzo." Maddie told him looking over at his ship shirt.

Blaineley stood her mouth hanging unsure of what to say. "I thought you said she didn't know about the shirt!" She yelled over at Gonzo.

"Yeah I may have lied about that part." Gonzo said laughing.

Dante looked at Gonzo's shirt and rolled his eyes. "You'd better not have one of those for Ciara and me." He said.

Gonzo gulped and sat down nervously. "Of course not." He said.

"If we can focus on the interview at hand please." Blaineley said.

Maddie smiled looking down at Nicole, then looked back at Blaineley. "I didn't join this expecting to become popular or a fan favorite. I've always been the weird girl, but I never cared much about what people thought. Never really had too many friends, but now I have more than I could ever wish for." She said.

Blaineley fake gagged and rolled her eyes. "Enough with the sweetness please we have had too much sweet and not enough drama on this Aftermath Special." She said. "Have you met Nicky's family?" Blaineley asked.

Maddie nodded. "I've only met them once, but her sisters contacted me hoping that we'd be able to meet in person. I had no idea that Nicole was named after one of Kitten's sisters, but I should have guessed it with how nice they are." Maddie said.

"Doesn't Nicky hate her sisters?" Blaineley asked.

"Of course she doesn't. She's smothered by how much love they give her, but she loves them just as much. Honestly I'm a bit jealous, I wish I had that much love." Maddie said.

"You don't have love in your household?" Blaineley asked her.

Maddie looked away a bit. "I do, but not the same that kitten has. At home it's just my dad and me. He loves me a lot, but he was always busy working when I was growing up. Nobody wanted to be friends with the weird girl so I was a little lonely. I had my cousin to keep me company, but she was just as lonely as I was. In a way I guess Kitten and I complete each other. I helped her find the strength she needed inside of herself, and she helped give me love that I didn't know I was missing." She said.

"There's something that's bothered me and several other fans Maddie. When Nicky asked you out you had already assumed you were dating. In your mind when did you start dating?" Blaineley asked.

"There's no need to ask me, the bonus footage speaks for itself." Maddie said. Blaineley looked confused and turned around to see that bonus footage was indeed playing.

The footage that played was from after the phobia challenge, but before the elimination of that day. Maddie and Nicky were heading back to their cabin when they noticed a small orange tabby cat following them.

"This little kitty seems to be following you." Maddie told Nicky.

Nicky picked up the cat and looked at it curiously. "I think this is one of the cats that Chris put in the challenge for the feline room. I wonder what it's doing out her." She said.

"She," Maddie corrected. "The cat is a she." She said.

Nicky checked the cat's gender and nodded. "You're right, but how could you have known that just by looking at it?" Nicky asked.

"I could just tell. This is a really cute cat too. It's a shame that she had to be used for the challenge the way she was." Maddie said.

Nicky nodded her head then turned to look at Maddie. "I have no idea where Chris got this poor little baby from or where he's taking her back to, but I just know it isn't anywhere good. I wish I could help her." She said.

"Then why don't you adopt her?" Maddie suggested.

"I don't know if I could raise a cat all by myself. I don't know the first thing, and it might end up worse for the poor little thing then whatever Chris has planned." Nicky said.

Maddie shook her head in disagreement. "You need to give yourself more credit Kitten, I know that you can do this. Besides, maybe it was fate that someone with a cat nickname ends up adopting a cat on this game." She said.

Nicky stood silent in thought. "What if you helped me to raise the cat Maddie?" She asked. "If we adopt her together and raise her together then I know she'll have a great life." Nicky said.

"You want me to have a cat with you?" Maddie asked in disbelief.

Nicky nodded handing the cat over to Maddie. Maddie stood unsure, but took the cat from Nicky's hands. "I know we'll be the best moms to this cat as long as we do it together." She said.

Maddie smiled and caressed their new cat. "Don't worry you little baby. Kitten and I are going to give you the best life ever." She said.

The footage cut off and the audience was in tears along with most of the eliminated contestants. Maddie herself was flooded with emotion remembering the moment they got Nicole together.

"How did you get that bonus footage?" Blaineley asked Maddie.

Maddie chuckled and shook her head. "I have my ways." She said. "I know Kitten didn't think we we're dating back then, but when she asked me to help her raise this beautiful little kitty I knew we'd be together in no time." She said.

"Well, we have one last question before you make the audience cry anymore. Sent in by a viewer who's a massive Maddicky fan, if Nicky let you dye Nicole's fur blue, but you had to wear Nicky's cat onesie for the entire time Nicole's fur was dyed, what would you do and why?" Blaineley asked.

Maddie laughed nervously. "Well it's a bit too late for that one." She said. Maddie took off the sweater that Nicole was wearing to show her fur had been dyed blue. "I didn't do it this time, it was Kitten's sisters." She quickly added defending herself.

Blaineley laughed at the sight of Nicole with blue fur instead of her orange. "You'd better hope that washes off before Nicky sees her or she might ask for sole custody of the cat." She said.

"It's okay, I made sure they used cat friendly hair paint, and as long as Kitten wins there will be just enough time for Nicole to be back to her usual fur." Maddie said.

"Well then you really better hope that Nicky wins. Thank you for the time, and with only three more to interview let's all welcome Anthony to the show." Blaineley said.

Maddie gently put the sweater back on Nicole making sure she wouldn't wake up before leaving the seat open for Anthony to take.

"Tough break being here Anthony. You seemed like you were going to make it far, but then the teams switched. That leads us into our first question, do you think you would still be in the game if the teams hadn't switched?" Bla/ineley asked him.

Anthony tilted his head back and forth as he pondered the question. "I think I'd have a stronger chance of being in the game, but at the same time I think Genevieve would have found some way to throw me under the bus and get me eliminated regardless of which team I was on." He answered.

"Well it seems you're taking your elimination better than your girlfriend took hers. She said she was eliminated due to a quote 'man-child with a sister complex.'" Blaineley said.

Sarah looked nervously over at Dante and faked a smile. "No offense." She sheepishly told him.

"None taken." He huffed out after Max shoved him in the arm.

"While we're on the topic of Sarah, you two had a pretty rough relationship. Just when you were getting to figure out how you felt you got separated from each other. How have things been for the two of you?" Blaineley asked.

"You couldn't have asked me that question?" Sarah asked Blaineley.

Blaineley glared over at Sarah. "Your interview ended long ago and your input is not required." She said. "And Gonzo you'd better not bring up another ship shirt for these two." She added losing her patience with everyone.

"Don't worry I don't have any shirts for them." He said.

"Why don't we get a ship shirt?" Sarah asked offended.

"Sorry, but there wasn't enough demand for you two. If it makes you feel better Koh and Aiden don't have a ship shirt either yet." He told her.

"Enough with the shirts!" Blaineley yelled out. "We have three more interviews to get over with and we're running low on time, so if you can all stay quiet that would help the process out greatly." She yelled. Blaineley took a breath to compose herself and turned back to Anthony.

"Well if you want to know about Sarah and me, we haven't had too much time together unfortunately. We're both very busy so scheduling time to get together hasn't been easy. When we do meet up we always have a great time together. She's fixing so many of my inventions that I'm starting to think she's the better inventor between us." Anthony said.

"Oh you know that's not true. I can fix a couple of mistakes here and there, but you build these things from scratch. That's something I could never do." Sarah told Anthony.

Blaineley glared over once more. "The next person to speak from over there is getting removed from the set. These are my interviews, not time for all of you to catch up with each other." She yelled. "You bring up your inventions Anthony, and the world is dying to know what got you started with making inventions." Blaineley said getting back on track.

"I guess that goes back to my childhood. I always loved playing with toys, but more than playing with them I loved taking them apart to see how they worked. That was really where the start of love for inventions began." Anthony explained.

"And where do you see yourself going with these inventions? Have any schools offered you a scholarship for them? Do you intend to make a career out of this?" Blaineley asked.

"To be honest I haven't put too much thought into it yet. I've gotten a lot of opportunities presented to me from working in a toy factory to being a civil engineer. I could study robotics, or I could go more basic and oversee construction. I don't know where I'm going with my inventions yet, but I know that I'll follow Sarah wherever she goes." Anthony said.

"You know you could always open your own inventing firm. The money you make off of patenting your inventions is far better than any of those other jobs you mentioned. If you really wanted to bring Sarah into it you could share ownership to reduce the taxes you have to pay. Sterling and Blake invention firm. Just think about it." Blaineley suggested.

Anthony smiled and nodded. "That's an idea I'll have to keep in mind, especially if Sarah agrees to it." He said.

"Well thank you for being our guest. To wrap things up we have our final guests of Koh and Aiden. Unfortunately they couldn't join us today in the Aftermath studio, but we did set up a video chat with the training base where they are currently located at." Blaineley explained.

The bonus footage screen came down showing Aiden and Koh. While Aiden looked the same as he appeared on the show, Koh had a drastically different look. Her hair was straight and held back with a silver hairband. She wore a sparkling pink top with blue jeans, white socks and white running shoe along with a jean jacket. Her nails were painted purple with a flower nail design in white.

"You're looking very different from the last time we saw you Koh." Blaineley pointed out.

"I'm having a bit of self discovery. Learning my parents aren't dead changed a lot of what I thought I knew about myself. I still haven't found them, but I'm getting close thanks to this." Koh said holding up a pretty necklace that was engraved with her birth name Calista Rose Riverton and date of birth on the back. "This is the last clue we found to where they might be, and I'm using all my resources to find her. By the way, I go by Calista now not Koh." She said.

Blaineley looked uncaring and shook her head. "That's going to get a bit confusing since we all know the criminal you apprehended as Calista so let's just keep you as Koh for simplicity." Blaineley said.

"Didn't you hear what she said?" Aiden asked Blaineley pointing angrily at the screen. "She's not going by Koh anymore." He said.

Koh gently lowered Aiden's hand and held onto it warmly. "It's okay Aiden, I entered the game as Koh I might as well finish it as Koh." She said.

"Well it looks like Koh's lost all of the toughness that she had when she was in the game." Blaineley taunted laughing.

"Don't push your luck." Koh warned glaring at Blaineley.

Blaineley payed no attention to Koh's threat instead moving on with the interview. "Let's start with Aiden since there's less to talk about there. Everyone's dying to know how training to be an undercover cop is." She said.

"Well I can't talk about that too much, but I can say it's not as easy as I expected. I passed the written exam with no worry and of course made it through the acting portion perfectly, but the physical part of the training has been too much. I thought Cal.. er I mean Koh had impressive physical capabilities before, but she really downplayed her abilities on the show compared to what I've seen her pull off her." Aiden said.

"How about your plans of being an actor? You joined the show to promote your acting abilities, but now it seems like you're settling for being an undercover cop instead. What exactly is your plan for the future?" Blaineley asked.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd still love to be an actor and get my name in a big film. That's still the dream, but right now I can put my dreams on hold if it means helping Koh out. She needs me right now, and being an undercover cop is still a type of acting. I've got a long life ahead of me, so I can make my dream come true, and Koh's dream of finding her parents." He said.

"Enough with the sweet talk." Blaineley yelled. "This has been the least drama filled Aftermath Special of my life because you're all so focused on your love life, and your friendships, and forgiving those who hurt you. Let's just get this over with. Koh we have a lot of holes we need to fill. How involved was your gang in sending you to the show? Who is Calista and why was she there? Where did the Calista file come from if you're the real Calista? Do your parents know you're alive? We need answers and we want them now." Blaineley demanded.

Koh took a deep breath and focused on Blaineley. "Those are a lot of questions, and a lot of that information is classified even to me. When I was assigned the job of hunting down an escaped criminal on the island I was only given a breakdown of her physical appearance. Our intel didn't include her name at the time so that's how she was able to pass as Calista. As for the Calista file, she planted it there herself to distract me, and I fell for it. She knew that if she could get me to look into a file for someone who didn't exist I'd be wasting time I could spend looking for her. Then she deleted it so I'd get suspicious of the other contestants." Koh said.

Seeing Koh having difficulty retelling the story, Aiden stepped in to help her out. "Criminal Calista was one step ahead of us the entire time. She played Koh to do exactly what she wanted. As for Koh's parents we don't know if they're looking for her too, but we hope that they are so that finding them can become an easier task. Both the agency Koh works for, and her gang are using every resource they can to find her parents so it's only a matter of time." Aiden said.

"So then Koh's gang was already aware that Koh was an undercover cop?" Blaineley asked.

Koh nodded. "That's a long story, but the gang was the one that raised me from the streets. I joined the undercover agency afterwards as a trade to get some gang members out of legal trouble. I guess the agency saw potential in me." Koh said.

"Well Koh you certainly have the most interesting background of any Total Drama player." Blaineley said. "That's all the time that we have for today everyone. Thank you for joining our show tonight." Blaineley said.

Gonzo ran over in front of Blaineley and stood in front of the camera. "If you want your own Total Dram Rebirth ship shirt you can order them online at any time." He advertised.

Blaineley shoved Gonzo away and took the focus back. "Ignoring him we hope you enjoyed revisiting the first 13 eliminated players on Total Drama Rebirth of the Island. Now the power lies in the hands of you dear viewers. If you want to see one of these losers return for another shot at the game vote for them in the official Total Drama returnee poll." Blaineley announced.

"What!" Shouted out the contestants gathered on the other side of the set. Blaineley turned the camera over to them showed the group shouting over each other and pushing each other around trying to get focus presented on them so they could return to the game.

"There's the drama I was looking for." Blaineley said happily. "Only you can decide who will return to Total Drama Rebirth of the Island." She announced.

* * *

 **Elimination List**

24\. Wallace Corona: The Crazy-Prepared

23\. Nadine Navarro: The Pure Hearted and Innocent Girl

22\. Gonzo De la Cruz: The Crazy Spaniard

21\. Sarah Blake: The Serious One

20\. Kahlin "Kyle" Mora: The Laid-Back Observer

19\. Kai Nohea: The Surfer Bro

18\. Brett Drake: The Powerhouse Man

17\. Dante Valverde: The Overprotective and Overbearing Older Brother

16\. Maximilian Brooks: The Lucky Guy

15\. Madelyne "Maddie" Michelle Heines: The Small Pyromaniac

14\. Anthony Sterling: The Ambitious Inventor

13\. Koh Lewandoski: The Undercover Cop

12\. Aiden Rose Hall: The Actor

 **Remaining Contestant**

 **Killer Hydra:** Clifford, Kyoko, Genevieve, Tom, and Lucy

 **Screaming Phoenix:** Zelda, Johnathan, Ciara, Miriam, AJ and Nicky

 **Apologies to nobody because there was no elimination today.**

* * *

 **A/N: I really wanted to get this out before last year ended, but I was swarmed with holiday plans between both friends and family. Then after that I got a promotion at my job. Good for me, but bad for writing time. Hope everyone had great holidays and sorry about the wait. My goal is to finish before the 2 year anniversary in June, but my progress has been slow the past few months. I'll just have to keep at it and see how far we go. Thanks for sticking around as we approach 2 years of writing this story and even if we don't finish by then I once again promise I will finish no matter how long it takes.**

 **This will be a short Author's Note since there isn't much to discuss. Thank you to every reader who suggested questions or ideas for deleted footage of past contestants. It really helped me to write the Aftermath and make it fun. If you submitted a character that was already eliminated, let me know if you enjoyed what I did with them on the Aftermath. I enjoyed revisiting the past contestants a lot, and it's for this reason that I am now confirming there will be as second Aftermath Special later on. Aftermath 2 will come when we hit the final 3 so it'll be a while away, but it'll give us a chance to revisit the contestants that made the merge.**

 **There's something major I must address now. A lot of people have brought up the fact that the merge sees us with only 3 males and 8 females. I'm sorry about the huge gap, and to be honest I didn't pay attention to gender distribution when making the elimination order. I'll try and make a more even gender distribution if I do another story, but for this one it seems a bit too late to fix it. What can I say, I just love so many of the female characters I'm working with. While it may seem that a Female v Female finale is practically guaranteed at this point, let me just say don't count the males out yet. A female v male finale is still possible, and heck a male v male finale isn't impossible either. Anyone can make the finale it's just a matter of how they play the game.**

 **As always thanks for the support from readers, everyone who leaves me great reviews, and readers that swarm my PMs either wanting to discuss the story, provide me ideas, or just ask for any update into the next chapter. It's you guys that keep me going even when I feel I have no idea what I'm doing. Let me know what was your favorite past character to revisit in this Aftermath, and don't forget about the poll for returning contestants.**


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